Without a Doubt
by feari teiru
Summary: They're polar opposites, but somehow they manage to find each other, no matter the situation (series of oneshots)
1. Chapter 1

**cake**

 **summary;** she'd never tasted anything so sweet

* * *

Her breath came out in weak little pants as she tore down another corner. Behind her she could still hear the jeers and taunts from the group that were chasing her. Again.

"Don't worry sweetie, it's just a phase. They'll get bored of teasing you soon." - she scowled as she remembered her mothers empty words. In one way she had been right, they had gotten bored of teasing her, now they had upgraded to chasing her. Sometimes they would even throw things.

She gasped as she stumbled over her own two feet.

Their jeers were getting louder now, they weren't too far behind. Biting her bottom lip, she looked around her desperately. She had run into an unfamiliar area. Most of the stores were boarded up with faded CLOSED signs emblazoned over their old doors.

Apart from one.

 _"Exceed Cafe - exceedingly good food, exceedingly good prices!"_

The logo was three cats - one black, one blue, one white - smiling cutely with the blue cat in the middle holding a tray of baked goods.

The sounds of footsteps and loud laughter got louder and she made her decision.

A bell tinkled overhead as she pushed open the door to the derelict cafe and shut it quickly behind her.

It was dark inside and apparently deserted.

She could hear the muffled sounds of angry shouting and ducked into the shadows as the group chasing her suddenly ran past.

Only after the last boy dashed past the cafe did she dare to let out her breath.

"Oi."

She nearly bit her tongue as she jumped, startled by the deep voice that called out through the darkness.

"Can I help you?"

The voice belonged to someone tall. Very tall. He was leaning against the counter with a small frown on his face.

Nervously, she stepped forward, "I…I…uh…a cake," she stammered quietly as she approached him.

He had piercings, _so_ many piercings. Some lined his eyebrows, some curved round his ears, another two sat on his nose and one even nestled itself into the dent on his chin.

His hair was long, black and pulled back into a loose ponytail.

He had muscles. Not the weak barely there muscles the boys in her class bragged about after gym sessions each week. He had actual muscles that tensed and twitched against the fabric of his - too tight - shirt.

"Which one," he was very blunt and spoke as if she had interrupted him doing something very important. He gestured to the glass display of sweet pastries and she nodded before pretending to look.

She wasn't hungry, she wanted to go home, but leaving the cafe wasn't an option just yet.

Her eyes drifted over sweet pies and chocolate drenched eclairs, glazed donuts, sprinkled donuts, soft looking baguettes, dark brownies that look like they would ooze for days and giant perfectly rounded cookies.

Her sweet tooth began to throb slightly as she reached the cakes. Moist spongecakes, glistening chocolate gateaux's, white cream looking cakes and…

"I'll have the red velvet please," she said, staring in awe at the dark red and white cake that sat proudly in the centre of the display.

He grunted as he crouched down and slipped the cake out, "take a seat then."

Obediently she hopped onto one of the stools by the counter and watched as he brought the knife down on the cake.

"Not too much please," she said.

He simply grunted in reply and continued to cut.

"Here" he dropped the plate in front of her - the slice was huge - and nodded, "eat it."

"Thanks," she mumbled quietly, picking up the fork he handed to her and scooping a section off.

Tentatively she shoved the piece into her mouth and bit down. She couldn't stop the moan of joy from slipping out as she swallowed the cake.

She'd never tasted anything so sweet.

She scooped another piece off the cake and eagerly bit down, smiling as she tasted explosion of flavours in her mouth. There was cocoa, vanilla, and something so sweet she couldn't put her finger on it.

She scooped some of the perfectly white icing off the back of the cake and mixed it with her next bite, positively salivating as the stark difference between the richness of the red sponge and the soft white frosting.

Before she knew it, her plate was empty and she was seriously considering licking the crumbs off it.

"That was amazing," she gushed, turning back to the man who had stood leaning against the counter as she ate.

He smirked, "thanks."

His smirk caught her off guard. It wasn't quite a smile, but it seemed to light up his face all the same.

"How much do I owe you?" she asked, hopping off the stool, but he just waved a hand.

"First one's on the house," he said flippantly before disappearing into the back.

She paused for a moment before uttering a quiet word of thanks and exiting the cafe.

.

.

.

She came again the next day.

They hadn't chased her this time, but they stole her bus pass. Walking down the high road and watching them snigger and laugh as she dejectedly stomped past the bus stop wasn't high on her list of things she was eager to do, so she opted to take the scenic route.

The overhead bell tinkled loudly, announcing her arrival into the dark and empty cafe.

She settled herself onto the stool and waited for him to emerge from the back with his frown on his face.

"Oh, you again."

"Hello," she smiled politely, "one red velvet please."

He grunted as he cut her slice and handed it to her.

"Thank you."

Almost immediately her mouth exploded with the mix of sweetness and flavours and she tried to still her moan.

"Do you make everything yourself?" she asked once she had finished.

"Some of them."

"Did you make this one?"

"Yeah."

"It's very nice."

"Thanks."

He wasn't one for small talk, but that didn't bother her. She found she enjoyed their silences and didn't find them uncomfortable in the slightest.

"How much do I owe you?"

Once again, he picked up her plate and waved an airy hand, "don't worry about it."

She frowned as she watched him disappear into the back.

"Thanks…"

.

.

.

The next time she came was two days later.

She'd been running again and was out of breath by the time she dived in through the door and slammed it shut behind her.

Almost as soon as the door closed, the group dashed past the cafe.

She'd almost been too slow.

"You alright?"

She nodded, breathless as she collapsed into her stool and rested her head on the counter.

Wordlessly he cut her a slice of red velvet cake and watched patiently as she slowly gulped it down.

"Thank you," she muttered, laying down her fork. Her legs still ached and her heart beat was beating too fast for her liking.

"Those your friends out there?"

She glared up at him, "what do you think?"

He shrugged, "if you're getting bullied, you should do something about it."

"I'm not being bullied!"

"Then why do you keep hiding in my cafe?"

"I won't then."

She picked up her bag and left, taking care to bang the door as she left.

.

.

.

"I'm not hiding," she said loudly as she closed the door the next time she came.

He rose a disbelieving eyebrow and pointedly watched as the group of bullies ran past.

"I'm not hiding," she said louder this time.

"Whatever you say," he muttered, dropping her red velvet cake in front of her.

.

.

.

The next time she planned on going, she decided against it.

She'd been there more times than she could count. She knew his name now. He was called Gajeel and he was 21. His uncle owned the cafe and had him work in it in return for him mooching off of him. He didn't mind, he liked baking - he waggled a knife at her a threatened to slice off all her hair if she ever dared to tell anyone -and spent most of the day trying out new recipes. He lived in the city and played the guitar. He called her a "shrimp" or sometimes a "smurf" and once or twice "pint size elf". He never charged her, no matter how much she begged.

She liked him.

He was 6 years older than her and rude and obnoxious and sarcastic and he licked the spoons he used to mix his ingredients.

And she liked him.

She liked the way he cared for her in his own little way. He let her take sanctuary in his cafe without charging her a penny, he listened to her rant and moan about the kids in her class, he even helped her study for a test once or twice.

She'd spent her high school life wondering when she was going to finally develop a crush on someone, and she ended getting one on the rude 21 year old she sat with for an hour after school.

It made her want to scream.

So she decided not to go to the cafe for a while.

They chased her again, chucking pencils and rulers and erasers as they ran.

She ran right past the cafe.

They caught up to her within two minutes.

She winced as they laughed and jeered and tugged at her weird hair colour. She bit her lip as they mocked her underdeveloped chest and short height. She choked back tears as they called her names, horrible horrible names she'd done nothing to deserve.

"Oi, oi, leave her before I call the police."

The group of bullies dispersed almost immediately.

She closed her eyes and turned away from him, refusing to look.

"Oi."

She shook her head.

"Oi."

She shook it harder, trying to fight the tears.

"You're stubborn," he grumbled.

She felt his arm drape around her shoulder and she leaned in. He smelt nice.

"Why didn't you come today?"

She shrugged.

"Don't do that. You're small and weak and a target for bullies."

She frowned.

"So you need to stay by my side until you can take care of yourself."

She smiled, "sure."

* * *

in the process of transferring a few fics I wrote on tumblr onto ffnet for the day I inevitably leave tumblr - just transferring the ones I like (so not that many then lol)

mostly gajevy, some dragonslayer siblings and tps


	2. Chapter 2

**birthday suit**

 **summary;** they were off to a very interesting start

* * *

The sound of soft moaning and grunting and then a loud shriek followed by an even louder bang woke him up that morning.

He frowned as the sounds began again, this time followed by something that sounded remarkably like something heavy being pushed across the floor.

"Oh for gods sake!"

His frown deepened as he heard a dull thud followed by an,"ouch!"

Curiosity peaked, he flung his bedsheets away and quickly got out of bed, making his way to the door.

It was way too early for anyone to be making this much noise.

He fixed his best, don't mess with me face and flung the door open, preparing the snarl angrily at the moron who had ruined his sleep.

He had expected to see one of the usual culprits, perhaps Lucy, or Juvia, or Erza, or maybe even Cana. He hadn't expected to be met with an unfamiliar face.

She was sat atop a large cardboard box with an unhappy pout on her face.

"Uh…" he muttered as he stared at her, "are you ok?"

No, no, no, that wasn't what he'd intended on saying at all. He was meant to unleash all the fury of a man who had just been rudely awakened from what was supposed to be a 12 hour sleep.

She glanced up at him and blinked several times. He watched as her cheeks developed a bright red blush.

"Oi?" he asked again, stepping forwards, "are you ok?"

She dropped her mouth open slightly and began stammering quietly.

Gajeel frowned as he crouched down to stare at her on eye level, "do you need me to call someone?"

"I…I…" she swallowed thickly before sharply turning her head away from his, "…the boxes…"

He looked around him to find their thin corridor was littered in boxes of varying sizes, suitcases, and even a plant or two. He gaze drifted towards the open apartment door she sat outside.

"Oh. You the new neighbour?"

She nodded, still avoiding his gaze, "my delivery men didn't bring my stuff up for me. I've been trying to get it all up here all morning."

He sniggered lightly as he watched her unhappy pout return again.

"It's not funny," she muttered as she hopped off the box and stretched.

"It is. Just a little bit."

She turned to glare at him but quickly turned away, a soft mewl falling from her lips as she went.

He quickly decided that his new neighbour wasn't perhaps the sharpest tool in the toolshed. Still, she was making an awful lot of noise and he needed it to stop.

"You need some help?"

Once again, she turned to face him. This time she managed not to look away immediately, though the bright red blush was still very evident on her cheeks.

"That…that would be very nice, thank you. I'm Levy, by the way," she hesitated for a moment before sticking out her hand for him to shake.

"Gajeel," he replied, reaching out and grabbing her smaller hand.

"So, Gajeel…" she asked as he began to lift her boxes, "just wondering but…ah…do you make it a habit to greet your new neighbours in your…um…birthday suit?"

"Huh?" he froze for a second before he looked downwards to find a healthy amount of skin showing. To his dismay, the only part of his body not on display to his new neighbour was – thankfully – his crotch, which was covered with a pair of old boxer shorts.

She giggled loudly as the realisation seemed to dawn upon him.

"Ah shit."


	3. Chapter 3

**competition**

 **summary;** they were taking the term "friendly competition" too far (tps)

* * *

"Rogue can walk five steps before he falls down."

"Pfft, that's nothing. Sting can almost say "momma""

"Rogue can ride Lily."

"Although I do discourage that," Lily interjected.

"Sting's almost as tall as Happy."

"Yeah well Rogue ca-"

"Enough!" Levy and Lucy both snapped at the same time, "really, you two have been at it all day," Levy grumbled.

"Enough is enough," Lucy huffed, "they're just children. Stop trying to impose your weird rivalry on them."

"You don't understand," Natsu whined, "Sting needs to be better than Rogue."

Gajeel snorted, shifting his sleeping son on his lap, "you wish, Salamander."

Lucy sighed, "and just why does Sting need to be better than Rogue?"

Natsu grinned and proudly brandished his sleeping son, "so he can be the Drake."

Gajeel laughed, "you're still mad about that?" he leant closer to Natsu, "sorry Salamander, but it's in my kids blood. Your kid just won't measure up."

As if to prove his point, Rogue yawned loudly in his sleep.

Gajeel smirked, "see?"

Natsu glared at him, "just you wait, Sting will be the Drake."

Gajeel leant back in his seat, "he's welcome to try."

Levy, Lucy and Lily shook their heads as they watched the two men begin to bicker again.

"We married a pair of idiots…didn't we?" Lucy asked.

"Yup," Levy hummed.


	4. Chapter 4

**dinner**

 **summary;** it was chaos, but then again…what else would you expect?

* * *

Igneel sat at the head of the table, it was his home after all, and grinned brightly down at his guests.

"It's not often I have a full table," he guffawed, "since the kid left for university and took Happy with him, I've been a lonely old man in this big house…" he sniffed, in what his guests hoped was faux sadness.

Natsu snorted, "so now you admit you're old."

Igneel pointedly looked away and continued his little speech, "and my siblings never visit either. How cruel, they refuse to even come any say hello to their dear eldest brother."

To his right, Metalicana growled and judging by the sudden grunt that fell from Igneel's mouth, he also kicked his brother under the table, "grow a few inches and then maybe I'll acknowledge you as the oldest," Metalicana huffed, puffing out his chest a little as if to reinforce the idea that he was taller and bigger than his so called older brother.

To Igneel's left, Grandeeney sighed and shook her head, "every time I visit I leave with a new memory to repress. Remember the whipped cream incident?"

Igneel's face reddened.

At the far end of the table, Lucy and Levy exchanged confused glances. Natsu simply groaned and Gajeel rolled his eyes.

"Exactly," Grandeeney continued, a smug smirk toying on her lips, "besides, that weird cat of yours ("Oi, oi, Aunt Grandeeney, Happy isn't weird!") makes Charle uncomfortable."

At that moment, everyone was silence by the sound of a fork clanging noisily as it hit a plate.

"Hm?!" Wendy squeaked, looking incredibly flustered and far too innocent, "what was that, Mum?"

Frowning, Grandeeney shook her head, "nothing dear."

Wendy let out a sigh of relief and took to staring at her plate. Once the adults had resumed their mild bickering, Gajeel lent across the table and whispered to his youngest cousin, "s'alright kid, nobody saw you feeding your cat your veggies."

"I did," Natsu added in a hushed whisper.

"Same," Levy added and Lucy nodded bashfully in agreement.

"We all noticed," Metalicana yawned, "'cept yer ma."

"Uncle Metalicana!" Wendy whined as Grandeeney inhaled sharply and said, "Wendy Marvell what have I told you about eating your vegetables?"

"Leave it, leave it Granny!" Igneel called loudly, earning him yet another kick under the table – this time from Grandeeney – for daring to use the one nickname she loathed more than anything, "we aren't here to put the squeeze on my adorable niece-"

Wendy flushed a little and smiled.

"We're here to interrogate those four!" he wildly brandished his fork towards the end of the table where Natsu, Lucy, Levy and Gajeel sat.

"It's not supposed to be an interrogation," Grandeeney muttered, though she was drowned out by the sound of Metalicana's"Gihihihihi" as the two oldest men in the room gleefully turned to look at their sons and their girlfriends.

"So boy!" Metalicana barked, slapping Gajeel across the shoulder, "do you think little miss over there is the one?"

Levy squeaked and slid down in her seat, whilst Gajeel proceeded to choke on his drink.

"I don't know why you're laughing!" Igneel boomed, waving his fork in Natsu's sniggering direction, "what about Lucy? When will I be getting some grandbabies? Wendy's cute and all, but Granny doesn't bring her over enough…"

"Dad!" Natsu spluttered whilst Lucy tried her very best not to faint right there, "we're in university still."

Igneel shrugged, "age is nothing but a number."

"Well our number is still too young!" Lucy squeaked, "far too young."

Igneel sighed and turned his attention towards Levy and Gajeel, "I'll guess I'll have to rely on you two for some grandbabies. Whaddya say Metalicana, would you be willing to share?"

"Hell no!" Metalicana snapped, "I'm not having my grandbrats corrupted by you."

Sighing again, Igneel turned towards Wendy…

"Don't even think about it," Grandeeney said coldly.

"I wasn't…I wasn't…"

As the supposed adults in the room began arguing amongst themselves and placing wagers as to who would have the cutest grandchildren, Gajeel and Natsu both turned to their respective girlfriends and mumbled, "I'm so sorry."


	5. Chapter 5

**dismissive**

 **summary;** they all liked to think they were the best (dragonslayer sibs)

* * *

Cobra lay handcuffed to his bed, wearing an almost pout on his face.

He hadn't expected this. Not by a long shot.

When he had gracefully handed himself back to Doranbolt he had been expecting to be bundled up into a carriage and taken back to the prison he had come to call home.

He had not been expecting that he'd be placed in the infirmary. With them.

He winced as Natsu roughly tumbled onto his bed. And winced again as Sting came hurtling after him yelling something about autographs. He groaned as Rogue snapped at Sting to behave. He sighed as he listened to Gajeel and Laxus snigger something along the lines of, "kids".

He growled as the smallest little dragonslayer amongst them tentatively walked up to his bed.

Wendy recoiled slightly and within seconds the room was silent and he felt five pairs of narrowed eyes zoning in on him.

"What?" he snapped as she came right up to his bed and placed a large tub of healing salve on his bedside table.

She bit her lip and visibly squirmed under his narrowed gaze, "um…Mr…Mr Cobra," she said quietly, fiddling with her hair, "thank you for helping us."

Laxus scoffed, "not like he did much."

Cobra glared at the man, "none of us did."

Natsu sniffed, "say what you want, but I was kicking ass."

Sting nodded eargerly.

"I don't know why you're laughing," Rogue muttered, "you just kept making that dragon chase your around the town. Did you even try and defeat it?"

"S-shut up," Sting mumbled, a faint blush appearing on his cheeks as Gajeel began laughing loudly, "you too!" he snapped, glaring at Gajeel.

Gajeel shrugged, unfazed by Sting's glare, "at least I fought my dragon head on. You just ran."

Sting groaned and sank to the floor. They were never going to let him live that down.

"Well," Laxus said loudly, "if we had enough time we all know who would've kicked the most dragon ass."

"Damn straight!" Natsu whooped.

"Me" Gajeel, Rogue, Sting, Laxus, Natsu and Cobra all growled.

Wendy sighed before easily sitting on the edge of Cobra's bed.

Cobra grinned as the five men turned to glare at one another. They were a competitive bunch.

He liked that.


	6. Chapter 6

**father**

 **summary;** she was terrified of meeting him, but he wasn't that bad (human dragons!)

* * *

When her boyfriend had told her that his father had been nagging him to meet her, she had smiled and told she was more than happy to finally meet his father. But…as she stood outside his large home, she felt her earlier confidence quickly begin to ebb away.

Meeting your significant others parents was a big deal. He'd already met hers, but that was because her parents were ridiculously overprotective and insisted on driving her to the cinema one night. But they'd been dating for over a year and she still hadn't met his. Until now of course.

She whimpered quietly as she slowly made her way up the pathway, half-heartedly wondering how mad Gajeel would be if she just ran away. She was scared and nervous. What if he didn't like her? What if he didn't think she was good enough for his son? What if-

"Are yer gonna stand outside my door mumbling to yerself all damn day?"

She jumped and squeaked as she looked up and realised the front door had been yanked open. Standing in the doorway was a man who looked oddly familiar. He was tall and lean with messy black hair speckled with gray that fell just short of reaching his shoulders. He had a scratchy looking beard and red eyes that were slanted into thin little slits. A large scar ran down his right cheek, disappearing into the collar of his shirt.

"Oi!" he barked, "yer gonna stand there gawking at me all damn day as well?"

She jumped again and nervously bowed her head, "Mr…Mr R-Redfox?" she stammered, lifting her head up and hoping that her cheeks weren't as red as they felt.

"Aye," he said slowly, peering at her suspiciously, "and what yer want? I already told yer bloody troop leader, I don't wanna buy anymore god damn cookies. Wendy already cleaned me out," he added slightly under his breath.

Levy fought back a groan upon realising that her boyfriends father thought she was a girl scout troop, going door to door selling cookies. Instead she forced a friendly smile onto her face and stepped closer, "no, no, I'm not selling anything. I'm…" she swallowed, "I'm Levy, Gajeel's girlfriend."

An awkward silence followed her admission, and for one heart wrenching moment she was sure he was going to slam the door in her face. Instead, to her surprise, he laughed.

"Gihihihihihi," he cackled and Levy had to bite back a snort. She'd been wondering where Gajeel got his weird laugh from.

"So yer the shrimp, aye?" he laughed even louder, catching the way Levy huffed in annoyance, "I shoulda known. Well, come in then. Yer shoulda said earlier."

She obediently followed him into his home, her heart racing with every step.

"Go an' take a seat in the living room, I'll get Gajeel."

"Thank you," she mumbled, before entering the room he had gestured towards. As soon as she sat down on the sofa, she heard the sound of Metalicana informing his son that his girlfriend was there.

"Brat?"Metalicana hollered, "oi! I'm talkin' to yer, yer god damn brat! Yer pretty little girlfriend is here. Hurry up an' put some clothes on."

She stifled a giggled as she heard Gajeel curse in reply and then the sound of, what she could only assume was, the bathroom door being flung open.

"Damn brat," Metalicana muttered as he entered the living room and settled himself into the armchair opposite the sofa, "so,"he said loudly, smirking almost evilly at her, "how long yer been putting up with my lad?"

"Um…just over a year…sir."

Metalicana made a snorting sound, "sir," he mimicked, "don't call me sir. Makes me sound too old. Don't let these gray hair fool yer, I'm still young" he tugged at his hair, "that brat was just a handful growing up."

Levy giggled again, "I can imagine."

"Can yer now?"

She nodded, "Gajeel is a handful now."

"Oi," Gajeel growled, entering the living room suddenly, "don't gossip about me with my old man."

"I tol' yer," Metalicana snapped, standing up to whack his son lightly across the head, "stop callin' me that."

"Tch," Gajeel sniffed, rubbing his head where he'd been whacked, "it's the truth."

Levy hid her giggle behind her hands as she watched the two bicker. They were eerily similar. Metalicana was leaner than Gajeel and had shorter hair and a small beard, but apart from that, they looked almost identical. Oh, and the piercings.

Metalicana huffed loudly, "how'd my rude, delinquent son-"

"Oi!"

"How'd my rude, delinquent son," Metalicana continued pointedly, "end up with a girl like her, hm? He's not blackmailing you is he?"

"Dad!"

Levy didn't bother to hide her laugh. As she laughed, she couldn't help but think how silly her earlier fears were. He was just as rude and abrasive and insensitive as his son, and she liked him.


	7. Chapter 7

**fear**

 **summary;** it hadn't been the best first impression

* * *

The first time he met her parents, he was shirtless in their daughters bedroom.

It hadn't been the best first impression.

.

.

.

Her parents were gone, supposedly for a long weekend away to celebrate their anniversary, and he had jumped at the opportunity to spend some alone time with his girlfriend. Between his nosey father and extended family, and her overprotective parents they rarely got time to themselves.

And so when she had casually mentioned in a text message that she wasn't looking forward to spending the next two days alone, he ran to her house. Literally.

He was out of breath by the time he made it to her house, which she thought was hilarious (twenty years later she was still teasing him about it). He arrived armed with a holdall full of clothes to wear and crappy food to eat over the next two days and she didn't object. Instead, she smiled brightly, grabbed his hand and dragged him into her house.

The next moment, he had her pushed against the wall, his lips pressed against her own, her hands travelling up his back.

He wasn't really sure when or how they made it to her bedroom, but a short while later he found himself collapsing onto her bed, pulling her down with him. They didn't really do anything apart from kiss but somewhere along the way she had managed to tug off his shirt and throw it somewhere in her room.

Not that he was complaining.

"I'm glad you came," she murmured sometime later. She was curled up against his still bare stomach, reading a book whilst he flicked aimlessly through TV channels.

He scoffed and squeezed her a little, "you're home alone for two days. I wasn't really gonna miss that opportunity was I?"

She laughed, and then she froze.

They both did.

"Levy? Levy, are you home dear…we just came back to grab…"

And that was how Gajeel met Levy's parents.

Lying shirtless in Levy's bed, with her lying against his side, looking fairly dishevelled.

Her mother walked through the door first, a bright smile on her face that quickly evaporated upon setting sight on the scene before her.

Her father poked his head through, and at that moment Gajeel realised he truly knew what fear was.


	8. Chapter 8

**hello**

 **summary;** it all started with a hello

* * *

He noticed her first. She was walking uphill, struggling with several bags of shopping. She stood out like a sore thumb amidst the sea of normal hair colours whilst she proudly wore her bright blue locks. She bobbed and weaved through the commuters, muttering words her apology as she bumped into them and poked them with her shopping bags.

When she eventually got to the bus stop she sighed loudly, sinking into one of the uncomfortable plastic seats and dropping her shopping bags to the floor. He watched as she bit her lip and stared anxiously down the street for their bus.

"Do you know if I missed the 462?" she asked, suddenly turning around to face him.

He jerked slightly, he hadn't been expecting the question, "uh, nah," he muttered gruffly. She nodded before turning her attention back to the empty road in front of them.

Four minutes later, he got on his bus and watched as she sighed and pouted as she sat alone at the bus stop.

.

.

.

The next time they met, she noticed him first. She was in the park, desperately trying to stick to her New Years resolution and actually exercise. She was stretching on the near empty field when she saw him. Well, he was hard to miss.

Dressed in a pair of old jogging bottoms and…well that was pretty much it. He was standing by the water fountain, taking large gulps from it. His shirtless chest glistened with sweat in the sunlight, and his long hair seemed to stick to his face and back. She flushed as he suddenly stretched, giving her a great view of his taunt muscles.

He stepped back from the water fountain and resumed his jogging. When he eventually passed her, he looked up, eyes widening slightly in vague recognition.

She lifted a hand as way of hello, too dumbstruck by his muscled chest for her to say anything coherent. He waved back before he sped up. Within two minutes he was out of her sight.

.

.

.

The noticed each other as exactly the same time the next time. It was at the grocery store and neither were paying attention to where they were pushing their trolleys. They inevitably crashed into each other.

"Oi!"

"Hey!"

"Watch where you're going- oh!"

They both looked at each other, flushing slightly as they realised they vaguely recognised one another.

She smiled, "sorry," she said, pulling her trolley back.

"Nah, it was my fault," he replied.

She shrugged and waved goodbye.

He waved at her retreating figure.

.

.

.

They seemed to bump into each other a lot. In car parks, on the bus, on the train, at the grocery store, they even bumped into each other in an elevator. It had gotten to the point that she'd find herself looking out for him just so she could nod, or wave, or even smile at him.

Her days seemed to be that tiny bit brighter when she saw him. He was always glaring or grimacing as he stomped down the street, but she knew she wasn't imagining the way his lips seemed to quirk upwards whenever he noticed her.

They didn't speak to each other, apart from the one mishap at the grocery store and the time at the bus stop, but she felt oddly close to him. Her friends thought she was crazy and maybe she was, but for the time being she didn't mind.

.

.

.

He spotted her again, leaning against the bus stop with several bags of shopping by her feet.

He frowned as he approached her. He'd lost count of how many times he'd bumped into the petite woman, but she had rapidly become a permanent fixture in his life. He'd never admit it to anyone, but his days seemed to go a little smoother if he bumped into her in the morning. Her bright smile was infectious and even had him grinning on some occasions.

They rarely spoke to each other, but he had already committed her voice to memory.

She looked up as he sat down on the empty plastic seat and their eyes met. For a few seconds they simply stared at each other, before she quickly ducked her head, her cheeks already starting to redden.

He coughed awkwardly and stuffed his hands into his pockets, staring everywhere but at her.

After a few minutes of a painfully awkward silence, her bus arrived and she scurried on without a second glance towards him.

.

.

.

It was getting ridiculous now. Every time they saw each other they would flush and duck their heads and quickly speed up, acting as if they hadn't seen the other.

She was tired of it.

So she decided she would rectify that by actually talking to him the next time they saw one another.

As she nervously approached his group, he found herself regretting her decision.

She had been on her way back home from work when she spotted him, standing outside a corner shop with a bottle of water in his hand. Without thinking, she crossed the road, intending on making good on her decision.

Just as she approached him, a group of people bounded out of the shop and he turned them.

"Took your time."

She froze.

There were three of them, two men and one smaller girl.

"Shut up, Gajeel," the man with strange pink hair muttered as he opened his can of coke, "you're always complaining."

 _Gajeel_ , she thought as she watched them bicker. She'd spent the better part of three months wondering what his name was.

"Um, Gajeel?" the smaller girl said, frowning a little, "the woman is staring at you."

She jumped as the small girl pointed at her causing Gajeel to turn around.

She waved awkwardly, "hello!"

"Uh…hello…"

 _So embarrassing, so embarrassing_ , she thought as she watched his cheeks begin to glower. She took a deep breath before stepping forwards and extending her hand, "I'm Levy."

He stared at her hand in confusion for a second or two before he reached out and grasped it with his larger one, "Gajeel."

She smiled, "nice to meet you, Gajeel. I'll…I'll see you around?"

He grinned, "definitely."


	9. Chapter 9

**impossible**

 **summary;** she was nothing but a fairy tale

* * *

He frowned into the darkness, certain he was seeing things.

He'd been sailing for nearly a week. A sudden storm had blown him miles off course and although he knew his map skills needed work, he was fairly certain he was far from dry land.

Which was why he was sure he was imagining the head of light blue hair bobbing up and down before him.

He squinted into the near distance, trying to decide if what he saw was reality or just a trick caused by yet another day of complete solitude. The moonlight shone down her, basking her in an odd, almost ghostly, shine.

She was there. She was real.

"Oi! Oi!" he called, furiously steering the boat in her direction, "don't panic! I'm coming!"

Either she couldn't hear him, or she was ignoring him, for she didn't move an inch. Her head bobbed up and down in the water as the waves gently hit her, but she didn't move. His heartbeat quickened as the boat tore across the distance.

Maybe she was unconscious.

"Oi!" he called again, stopping his boat just shy of her head.

Her eyes were closed as she leant back against the water, letting the gentle waves keep her afloat.

"Shit," he muttered before he leant overboard and reached out. Huffing slightly, he dipped his hands under the water and hooked his hands under her armpits. With a loud groan, he yanked her from the water and fell back onto the deck of his boat.

She was heavier than he'd thought she'd be.

With a grunt he hit the deck, dropping her from her arms as he went.

"God damn," he grumbled as he pushed himself upwards, rubbing the back of his head as he went.

His gaze fell on the woman he had just rescued, "what the hell."

She was completely topless.

He watched, entranced, as she took several shallow breaths causing her breasts to slowly rise and fall with each one. Water droplets slowly fell down her torso. He watched as a particularly large droplet fell between her breasts and continued on its path down her stomach, curving around her bellybutton, before coming to a halt at her waist.

He frowned and rubbed his eyes.

"What the hell?" he yelled, his voice echoing loudly across the silent ocean.

Where her legs should have been, he saw only a tail.

She gasped suddenly, arching her back and wildly waving the dark green tail, "put me back!" she gasped, taking deep breaths as she writhed, "put me back! Hurry!"

He was up on his feet before he even fully comprehended what she had said. Wordlessly, he scooped her up, one hand on her back, the other on the dragon-like scales that should have been her legs.

"Hurry! Hurry!" she panted, writhing in his arms.

He hesitated for just a moment before gently dropping her back into the sea below. She disappeared almost immediately, allowing the dark ocean to swallow her whole.

Within seconds the sea was still and devoid of life once again.

He was alone.

He let out a deep sigh of breath and leant against the boat, letting his arms hang over the side.

"I'm tired," he muttered into the silence, "tired and apparently going so crazy I'm imagining blood mermaids," he pushed himself up slightly, preparing to go back to his cramped bedroom to attempt to get some well needed sleep. He stepped backwards, turning away from the sea.

"Thank you!"

He froze, knowing that he hadn't imagined the loud splash and soft voice that followed it.

Hesitantly, he turned around and peered over the edge.

She was there, smiling brightly up at him.

His mouth fell open slack as he watched her push away from his boat and elegantly swim backwards, her glorious tail making small waves in the sea.

"Sorry," she called as she swam back to him, "did I scare you?"

He nodded dumbly, still at a loss for what to say.

She giggled and at that moment, he decided it was the best sound in the world.

"I was sleeping," she explained, "I don't normally sleep up top, but the moon…the moon was beautiful tonight," she said with a serene look on her face. She looked back at him and giggled, "say something then. I know you're not a mute, I've heard your voice. You're fond of curses."

He grunted before replying, "I'm going crazy."

She laughed again, throwing her head back a little, "and why do you say that?"

"Because…because you're a mermaid. You're a fable…a story…a fairy tale."

She shrugged, "the tales you humans are told as children all originate from the truth in some way. Anyway," she pushed away from his boat again, "I must leave you. Thank you for placing me back in the ocean, I know many may not have been so kind. You have a good heart."

"Wait!" he called, stopping her from descending back into the ocean, "your name. What is it?"

She paused, "my name? I suppose…I suppose…I am Levy," she said the name slowly, as if it were an unfamiliar word, "yes, I am Levy."

"Levy," he repeated, liking the way it rolled off his tongue.

She smiled, "and yours?"

"Gajeel," he said immediately, "it's Gajeel."

"Then Gajeel," she nodded, "I bid you, goodnight."

He watched as she gracefully dived back under the water, causing a small ripple of waves.

Within seconds she was gone, and he was left alone staring forlornly at the spot where she had disappeared.


	10. Chapter 10

**lessons**

 **summary;** he was expecting an old lady

* * *

The only reason he was there was because he felt guilty for mocking her.

"Ballets' for sissy's," he had snorted one evening after his sister announced that she wasn't to start lessons. It was an accident. The insult had just sort of slipped out of his mouth and before he knew it, she was packing away the brochure, muttering something about maybe trying out karate.

He didn't feel guilt very often, but he had felt it then. Not for the first time, he belatedly realised he was imposing his own, admittedly outdated, ideals on her. He had sighed and gently tugged her back by her ponytail and gruffly demanded that she show him the brochure.

"…and Miss Levy is teaching this class," Wendy sighed happily as they made their way down the corridor, "she's amazing. You know she's been dancing since she was my age? She got into an accident though, so she can't dance professionally anymore, but she teaches these classes and everyone says they're amazing and that Miss Levy hasn't lost any of her touch and…"

Gajeel zoned out and took to glaring at the ceiling as they walked.

That was all she'd been talking about since he agreed to take her to the stupid lesson. Miss Levy this, Miss Levy that. He didn't see what all the fuss was about. What did it matter if some old lady was a pro ballet dancer in her prime? He wrinkled his nose as he imagined a wizened old woman snapping at her young students to keep their posture straight and all that rubbish. It all just seemed weird to him, like this little old lady was determined to relive her youth through the eager girls who came flocking to her class. Weird.

"Ah! We're here! This is the room!" Wendy said excitedly, "how do I look?"

Gajeel gave her a rare smile, "you look good, kid," and he wasn't lying. His guilt at mocking her had prompted him to take her shopping and deck her out in everything she needed to look like a pro. A light pink leotard and tights with a pair of white ballet flats. He'd even swallowed his pride and asked Natsu's girlfriend to do her hair into a tight bun.

She grinned brightly, "thank you!"

"Yeah, yeah," he gently shoved her forwards, "now get inside, I've got errands to run."

"Oh, you're not going to watch?" she asked as she slid open the door and stepped in, "the brochure said parents and carers are welcome to watch the first lesson."

He snorted as they stepped into the brightly lit room, "I got better things to do then watch some old biddy snap at your straighten your back for two hours."

"If you're looking for the elderly, there's a bingo session down the hall," and amused voice called.

Both Wendy and Gajeel turned around. A loud gasp fell from Wendy's mouth as she clasped her hands together and pressed them against her chest.

"Miss Levy!" she breathed, as the petite woman approached them and politely bowed her head.

"You're Miss Levy?" Gajeel blurted out, not bothering to hide his confusion. She was not what he had been expecting. She wasyoung and slim and had a smile that put Wendy's to shame. Her hair was styled into a loose bun and a few loose strands framed her face. She was pretty.

"I am," she laughed, "you must be Wendy, our new starter. You look amazing."

Wendy gasped and Gajeel watched as Levy engaged her in easy conversation.

She too wore a leotard, though hers was a dark navy. She wore it well and he had to force himself to avert his gaze. He hadn't expected this at all.

"And, are you her father?"

He jerked back to reality, "the hell? Do I look that old?"

"Gajeel!" Wendy admonished, sending Levy an apologetic smile.

Levy, on the other hand, didn't look bothered by his outburst. Instead, she laugh, "my apologies, Gajeel was it?"

He nodded, "I'm her brother."

Levy smiled again, "well it's lovely to meet you. Will you be staying to watch the first lesson?"

Wendy chuckled, "no, he said he was better things to do tha-"

"Yeah!" Gajeel cut across loudly, sending Wendy a pointed glare, "I'll stay and watch."


	11. Chapter 11

**music**

 **summary;** she wasn't worthy of the title…yet (dragonslayer sibs)

* * *

He watched her silently from across the guild.

His sister.

He frowned. The word still didn't sit right with him.

He'd spent the last few days listening to Natsu and Gajeel yammer on about looking out for the other dragonslayers, and he got that. He really did. But he didn't understand why they were going so far as to call them a family.

"It's cause you're not a real dragonslayer," Gajeel had sneered when Laxus promptly told him and Natsu that he thought they were crazy (his exact choice of words had been more explicit).

He leaned forwards against the railing as he watched her scurry about the guild, clutching something against her stomach. For the first time in…well, forever…he wondered if Gajeel was right.

It was plain and obvious for anyone to see that Gajeel and Natsu cared for her like a blood relative. They watched her from the sidelines, cheering her on, coaching her, laughing with her and scolding her. They were a family.

A family he had been invited to join.

He frowned as he watched her skip up the stairs. She was just a guildmate to him. One he'd barely interacted with at that.

"Laxus!"

He blanched as his name left her lips. So soft and innocent.

He grunted in reply, watching wearily as she bounded up towards him, a shy smile on her face.

"Here," she reached out and handed him the item she held, "you left it by the bar."

She handed him his headphones and sound player before nodding and turning away.

It was warm where she had held it too tightly and…

He paused and tentatively brought the headphones up to his nose. He sniffed.

"Yo," he called, stopping her in her tracks, "you listened to it?"

She turned around slowly, her cheeks a bright red, "I…I…" she stammered, "I hope you don't mind…I just wanted to know wha-"

"Did you like it?"

She blinked, "huh?"

"Did you like it," he waved the sound player gently in the air, "the music?"

She fiddled with her clasped hands before nervously walking close to him, "I did," she admitted, "I've never heard sounds like that before."

He grinned as he leant against the railing. She copied him, the blush still evident on her cheeks.

"It's called Classic Rock & Roll," he said proudly before scowling, "not that shi-" he coughed, "not that crap Gajeel listens to."

She giggled, "you don't have to censor yourself. Gajeel and Natsu don't."

He hummed in response. He wasn't sure why he had censored himself, it had just seemed…necessary.

"Do you…um…do you have any CD's I could borrow?" she asked quietly.

He smirked, "yeah, I might have a couple."

She smiled brightly and for the first time he found himself looking at someone more than a guildmate.

No, he wasn't going to go as far as to call her his sister. Not yet anyway. But he saw the potential, and that was good enough for him.


	12. Chapter 12

**ouch**

 **summary;** now she understood his little addiction

* * *

She bit her lip nervously as she timidly followed him into the small shop.

"Oh…oh my," she breathed quietly, clutching the fabric of her t-shirt, "it's not very…inviting is it?"

"Tch?" he snorted, roaming through the place like it was his second home, "what're you talking about?"

She said nothing, choosing to find humour in the fact that heobviously didn't see anything wrong with the shop they found themselves in. And she understood why. He fit in so perfectly amongst the array of posters showing grimacing men and women showing off their multitudes of tattoos and piercings.

Still feeling rather nervous about the whole ordeal, she stepped closer towards the wall and began inspecting the large poster that hung on it. Her eyes widened as she stared at the grinning man whose face and upper body were covered in piercings and intricate tattoos.

"Doesn't it hurt," she muttered as her gaze drifted to a poster of a man who had several piercings poking out of his skull. She shivered, taking a moment to thank the heavens that although Gajeel appeared to be obsessed with piercings, he seemed to have a limit.

She turned and stared at him suspiciously, watching as he admired a poster of a man in the process of piercing the tip of his…

"No!" she said sharply, "you're not piercing there."

He turned and gave her what she could only describe as a pout, "why not?"

"Because I said so!" she huffed, cringing as she tried to imagine just how painful it would be, "anyway, we're not here for you. We're here for me."

"Yeah, yeah," he sighed, turning away from the obscene poster with an almost longing look in his eyes, "you sure you wanna do it?"

"Mmm!" she nodded wildly, "I…I want it."

His mouth stretched into an excited grin as he turned around and roughly slammed the small bell on the countertop in front of them.

She smiled as she watched in animatedly talk to the owner of the shop who slunk out from behind the curtain. She'd never seen him so excited about anything that didn't involve fighting Natsu.

"Yeah, it's her first one," Gajeel sniggered, brandishing his finger towards her, "she wants her belly."

She flushed as the owner of the shop nodded and gestured for them to follow him into the back.

"You didn't have to tell him it's my first one," she muttered.

Gajeel laughed, "he'll find out anyway."

"I told you, I'm not going to scream. Or cry," she pouted stubbornly, settling herself onto the reclined chair the owner gestured to.

Gajeel merely rose his pierced eyebrows in disbelief.

"Alright, lift your shirt up," the shop owner said suddenly, swivelling around on his stool. She hesitated, before she caught sight of Gajeel's sniggering face. With a determined scowl on her face, she tugged her vest up, stopping just below her bra.

"Where'd you want it?"

Nervously, she pointed above her bellybutton and watched with fascination as he quickly drew two small X's where she had pointed. She gasped slightly as the man picked up a cotton swab and dabbed the area he'd marked with something cold and wet.

"Breathe normally," the man said, taking a silver clamp and placing it on her bellybutton, "this'll only take three seconds."

She nodded and braced herself for what would come next.

"Don't scream now," Gajeel laughed, his eyes dancing with mirth as he watched.

"Shut up," she muttered.

"Ok," the man said, "three, two, one."

She gasped as she felt something prick her just above her bellybutton and then clamp down tightly.

"All done."

"That's it?"

"That's it. Have a look."

Slowly, she got off the chair and walked to the floor length mirror in the room.

"It suits you, shorty," Gajeel nodded in appreciation as he watched her stare in awe at her stomach.

And he was right. The small jade piercing winked cheekily at her as she twisted her stomach trying to get a better look at it. She liked it. Everything about it. Hell she'd even liked the way it felt when he pushed the thin needle through her skin.

She flushed as Gajeel came to stand next to her, his piercings seemed to mock her one feeble one.

"I want another one," she muttered suddenly, she suddenly understood his little addiction, "do you think nipple piercings hurt?"


	13. Chapter 13

**pathetic**

 **summary;** he was going to go broke

* * *

This was so out of character. So not him. So…so…

"Pathetic?"

He turned to growl at his roommate, "I didn't ask for your opinion."

Natsu Dragneel shrugged, "it is pathetic though."

"Says the man who pretended he was failing his English Lit class just to get a tutorial from-"

"Alright, alright!" Natsu yelled quickly, "I'm not judging you."

"Good," Gajeel sniffed before turning around to resume his earlier activity of staring impatiently at the door.

"I'm just saying," Natsu muttered, "you're running out of space to put all the crap you keep buying."

He had a point there. Their small living room was quickly filling up with various shaped packages. Most remained unopened.

"What'd you order this time?"

"A towel rack," he mumbled, scratching the back of his neck.

"A towel rack."

"Don't look at me like that!" he snapped, "I just clicked the first thing on the home page. Anyway-"

He was interrupted by the loud sound of the buzzer ringing loudly through their flat. He fought hard to keep his smirk down as he walked to the door and flung it open.

And there she was. The reason his student loan was pretty much non-existent now.

Levy McGarden. A second year who worked part time in the mailroom.

She was small and always seemed to be smiling, no matter what time of the day she was forced to run around campus giving parcel after parcel to lazy students. His face softened slightly as he watched her huff out a breath of air and pull a strand of blue hair away from her face.

She was…she was…he didn't want to say beautiful, because that felt too much. But she was pretty. Very pretty. She even managed to make the bland uniform she was forced to wear look good. The black shirt with the university logo emblazoned tackily across the front was about five sizes too big for her and sometimes fell down her right shoulder.

"Again Gajeel," she laughed as she handed him her clipboard for him to sign, "I feel like I'm coming up here at least twice a week."

He shrugged nonchalantly, "must be your imagination."

She hummed before tugging his parcel out of her little trolley and passing it to him, "enjoy…whatever it is."

She smiled and waved before turning around and scurrying down the corridor. Gajeel waved to her retreating figure before he stepped back into his flat and closed the door.

"You're pathetic, bro," Natsu laughed, ducking the packaged towel rack Gajeel quickly sent hurtling his way.

.

.

.

"What is it today?" Natsu asked, yawning at he walked into the living room to find Gajeel leaning by the front door.

"Bean bag."

"Pathetic."

The buzzer sound stopped him from having to reply. He fixed his face into what he hoped was a casual grin and pulled the door open.

"A bean bag?" she asked incredulously, the moment he opened the door, "what do you need a bean bag for?" she pointed to the badly wrapped bean bag next to her feet.

He shrugged as if it were the most normal thing in the world to suddenly feel like purchasing a bean bag.

"Here," she handed him her clipboard, smirking as he took it, "if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were buying all this stuff just to see me."

He snorted, "don't flatter yourself, shorty."

She laughed and waved as she took the clipboard back and made her way down back down the corridor.

"This is getting embarrassing," Natsu grumbled as Gajeel reentered the flat, chucking the bean bag to the side, "we're running out of space to put all your crap."

"Shut up."

.

.

.

He couldn't stop the roar of laughter that escaped his mouth when he saw her the next time.

"It's not funny," she huffed, wiping sweat from her brow, "what the hell is it this time?"

"A punching bag," he admitted quietly, staring at the large parcel she stood next to. It was about five times her height, making her look smaller than she already was.

"A punching bag," she rose an eyebrow at him, "you know the university gym is free for students…right?"

He flushed a little, snatching the clipboard from her hand to roughly scrawl his name on, "I know that. I just…" he trailed off pathetically.

"Right…" she sighed, "well, I just spent about twenty minutes lugging this punching bag up four flights of stairs, so I'm running late with the rest of my deliveries. See ya!" she smiled and waved before turning around and dashing down the corridor.

"I can't believe we're friends," Natsu muttered as he watched Gajeel drag the punching bag into their small flat.

.

.

.

Natsu glared at his flatmate, "what is this?"

Gajeel feigned ignorance, "what's what?"

Natsu wildly brandished the scuba diving kit in front of him, "this"

"A scuba diving kit."

"What the hell do you need a scuba diving kit for?"

"You never know."

.

.

.

When the buzzer rang the next day, both Gajeel and Natsu rushed to the door.

"What are you doing?" Gajeel growled.

"Ending this madness," Natsu said, throwing the door open to find Levy waiting outside leaning against an awkward shaped package.

"What is it?" Natsu asked, pointing angrily at the package.

"A scooter."

Silence fell as both Natsu and Levy began to imagine Gajeel hunched over a small scooter.

"Ridiculous," Natsu sighed, "you're ridiculous."

"Hey!"

Natsu shook his head, refusing to entertain Gajeel any longer. With a glare on his face, he rounded on Levy and pointed an accusing finger at her, "you!"

"Me?"

"Yes, you. Because of you I have barely any space to breathe in my damn flat."

Levy frowned, "how is that my fault?"

'Because of you, this moron over here keeps buying crap he doesn't need just so he can see you deliver it."

"Oi, oi," Gajeel snapped hurriedly, "don't st-"

"No!" Natsu yelled loudly, "you just bought a goddamn scooter, Gajeel. Just tell her you like her before you go broke!" with a loud huff of annoyance, Natsu flung his hands in the air before stomping back into the flat.

"So," Levy whistled, a soft smile gracing her face, "was that true."

He scratched the back of his head nervously, "maybe."

She laughed, "Gajeel, you know just asking me out would have been a lot cheaper. I don't bite."

"So…so…" he swallowed thickly, "would you wanna go out?"

"I'd like that"

.

.

.

"Ah so you two are finally together?" Lucy laughed, coming across them sitting down in the small cafe near their campus, "you know, she was hoarding your mail for weeks, refusing to let anyone deliver it but her?"

"Lucy!" Levy shrieked, her face quickly turning red.

Gajeel smirked, "oh really?"

"Oh shut up," Levy muttered as she sunk lower into her seat, plotting how she could make Lucy's sudden disappearance look like an accident.


	14. Chapter 14

**plotting**

 **summary;** it was for the greater good (shadowgear shenanigans)

* * *

"I can't believe we're doing this."

"Mhm."

"Are we insane?"

"Possibly?"

"It's for the best right?"

"I…yeah…yeah, it's for the best."

Jet and Droy both sighed as they steeled themselves to do the most deadly mission they had ever embarked on before.

Jet swallowed thickly as they approached him. Droy quivered silently behind.

"Uh…Gajeel?" he said, wincing as his voice cracked pathetically as the bulky man turned around.

"Hm? Oh, what do you two want?" he asked with a frown, "Levy's not here."

"We…we know," Droy stammered, "we wanted to talk to you?"

"Me?" he rose an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Will you go on a mission with us?" Jet asked quickly, spitting the words out before he could backtrack and change his mind.

Gajeel frowned, "you're not serious."

"We are!" Droy said indignantly, "come on a mission with us."

"Why?"

Jet shrugged, "we've been on missions with everyone in the guild…except you. We're trying to bond."

Gajeel hesitated a moment before folding his arms over his chest, "what mission?"

"Just a simple bandit capture mission in Waas."

"And you can't deal with it yourself?" Gajeel sniggered.

"We can," Droy sniffed, "we're just trying to be nice. But if you don't want to bond with your fellow guildmates then…" he trailed off suggestively.

"Fine," Gajeel snapped, not bonding with his guildmates was a sore topic for the iron dragonslayer, "when do we leave?"

"Tonight!" Jet chirped.

"Alright," Gajeel grunted, "don't be late"

They assured him that they wouldn't be late and scurried away to find their next target.

They found her huddled into a small corner of the guild, reading a thick book.

"Levyyyyy" they sang in unison, "are you busy?"

She smiled at them and not for the first time in their lives, they wondered if they'd ever get used her smile.

"Not really, what's up guys?"

"We've got a mission, a really good one, wanna come?"

She put her book down and nodded, "of course. We're Team Shadowgear aren't we? When do we leave?"

"Tonight!"

"Cool, don't be late!"

They assured her that they would be punctual before leaving her to her books.

"Are you sure this will work?" Jet asked as they walked away.

"No…but it's worth a shot, right?"

.

.

.

They crouched in the bushes by the carriage they had preordered.

"There she is," Droy whispered, pointing down the road to see Levy ambling up it quickly.

"And there he is" Jet added, nodding towards the other side of the road where Gajeel was quickly approaching.

They watched with baited breath as the two met outside the carriage, frowning slightly.

"Gajeel?"

"Oh, you're coming as well, shrimp?"

"What do you mean as well?"

"Your bodyguards asked me to come on a mission with them today."

She hummed leaning against the carriage, "weird…they didn't tell me they invited you. Not…not that it's a problem or anything!"

Gajeel grunted in response as he copied her and leant against the carriage to wait for Jet and Droy.

They waited for nearly an hour before carriage driver reached his limit.

"If you don't get in, then I'm driving off, and I'm not giving you your money back!"

Levy sighed, "I can't believe them."

Gajeel shrugged, "probably chickened out."

"Should…should we just go then?"

Gajeel shrugged and Levy seemed to take that as a "yes", for she quickly pried open the carriage door and got inside with Gajeel following quickly after.

Jet and Droy watched with smug grins as the carriage slowly rattled off down the road.

"How mad do you think they'll be when they find out there's no mission and we've sent them on a romantic getaway?"

Droy laughed, "very mad. But…I think they'll get over it."


	15. Chapter 15

**stubborn**

 **summary;** he would go to great lengths just to get some alone time with her

* * *

She frowned at the lump on her sofa. The snoring lump on her sofa.

"Are you sure he's ok?" she asked, turning to Lily who was leaning against her door, "he looks like he needs a doctor."

Lily shook his head and waved an airy hand, "he'll be fine. He just needs to sleep it off."

"And…" she hesitated and turned round to stare at Gajeel, "what did you say happened again?"

His clothes were torn and any visible skin she saw was marred with scratches and bruises and dried blood. Some of which, she doubted was his.

"Ambushed, just as we were entering the town," Lily sighed, "there were only about thirty of them-"

"Thirty?" Levy squeaked, glancing back at Gajeel and suddenly wondering how he wasn't more injured.

"But they caught us off guard," Lily continued, seemingly oblivious to Levy's outburst, "there were a few mages in the mix, and Gajeel was hit by a spell that induces a coma like state," he shrugged and pushed himself away from the door, "I thought it'd be best if he doesn't wake up alone."

Levy blushed, not sure if the inflection in Lily's tone meant what she thought it did.

"You're leaving?" she asked.

"I have to deliver this parcel to Master," he said, clutching a thick package under his arm, "and deliver a mission report. It'll probably take some time. Thank you for this Levy." He nodded towards Gajeel and herself and then quickly disappeared out of her door, taking care to close it tightly behind.

She let out a deep breath once he was gone before quickly dashing to the kitchen to rummage through her drawers to find what she needed. After a few moments she returned carrying a bowl of warm water and a flannel.

"What am I going to do with you?" she murmured as she crouched down beside the sofa and dabbed the flannel into the water.

"What were you planning on?" he muttered, eyes still squeezed tightly shut.

She rolled her eyes before gently dabbing at the cuts and scratches on his arm with the flannel, "how long have you been awake? Sorry," she added apologetically after noticing the way he winced slightly as she pushed too hard on one of his injuries.

"S'alright," he said as he shifted up on the sofa, "hey."

She humphed loudly, pressing the flannel against a particularly deep gash on his arm, "answer my question Gajeel."

"Maybe…just maybe," he said, looking a little nervous, "maybe I woke up when Lily was dragging me to your place. Maybe I heard him muttering about leaving me with you whilst he finishes the mission. Maybe I decided that sounded a hell of a lot nicer than sitting in Makarov's study all night."

She rose an eyebrow, "maybe?"

"Maybe," he said, smirking as he leant back and watched her wipe his wounds.

"Lily isn't an idiot, he probably knows you were awake."

Gajeel shrugged, "why didn't he say anything then?"

"Because Lily knows you very well."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you're a stubborn id- stop moving," she glared sternly at him, forcing him to lay back down on the sofa, "good. As I was saying, you're stubborn."

"I am not."

"We've been…well…" she blushed a little, "we've been together for how long now and you still don't want to tell anyone."

"That's because we associate with a bunch of morons," he said gruffly, "if any of those idiots found out about us, we'd never have a peaceful moment."

"So you resort of playing dead so your best friend will drop you off at my house?"

"Exactly!"

" _So_ stubborn."


	16. Chapter 16

**surprising**

 **summary;** Gajeel was surprising, to put it simply (based on the kiss)

* * *

She wasn't really sure why exactly they'd decided to keep their relationship a secret from the guild, but as he pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her body, she found that she didn't quite care.

Gajeel was surprising, to put it simply. In front of their fellow guildmates he was gruff, quiet, and aloof. He rarely touched her and preferred to keep his distance, watching her like a hawk from little nooks and crannies in the guild.

But when they were alone? Levy shivered as he ran his hands down her bare back. He was different. He couldn't seem to get enough of her. Every chance he could get, he'd run his hands along her spine, or down her legs, or gently tug at her hair as he watched her read her books. And, as of recently, he'd upped his game.

She sighed, opening her mouth to his without resistance.

That was another thing she'd discovered about Gajeel. He was an excellent kisser. He'd hold her tenderly, arms wrapped delicately around her waist as if she were the most important being in the world. She knew she could get lost in his kisses. The feeling of his lips leaving a scorching, wet trail down her neck. The way his hands dipped underneath her clothing to press against her skin. The way he moaned ever so slightly when she pressed her body flush against his. The way she moaned when he nibbled her lip.

It was all so surprising. Never in a million years would she have guessed that Gajeel was capable with such levels of passion.

Not that she was complaining.

She moaned loudly as he traced her lips with his tongue. She clutched tighter onto his hair, desperately trying to bring him closer. She needed more. She wiggled closer onto his lap, pressing her body against his. She brought her hands down, gently tracing the muscles on his arms.

She-

She blinked, feeling rather disorientated.

One second she'd been straddling her boyfriends lap having one of the most intense kissing sessions she'd ever experienced. The next second she was sitting across from him at their table with a book in her hand.

"Gajeel?" she asked in confusion.

He grunted and nodded towards the door. Following his gaze, she turned towards the door and gasped.

"Oh, Juvia!" she called nervously, "you're still in the guild this late?"

"That ice guy isn't here. He went out," Gajeel added gruffly.

Juvia nodded dumbly before turning around and slowly exiting the guild, "oh god," she muttered just loud enough for Gajeel and Levy to hear, "my love brain makes all these strange illusions."

Levy stifled a giggle, only turning around to face Gajeel once she was certain Juvia had left, "she saw us."

Gajeel shrugged, "you heard her, she thinks she imagined it. Now," he quickly moved to her side of the table and roughly pulled her into his lap again, "where were we?"

Levy smirked, raising her head so her lips hovered just above his own, "I think, we were somewhere around here"


	17. Chapter 17

**tales**

 **summary;** they were like books to her

* * *

Forty four.

He had forty four scars before he left. Some tiny, barely noticeable, some long jagged blights on his skin.

Some he got from odd accidents, like the time he accidentally smashed a glass and cut his thumb. Some he got from fights, like the thick one that ran along his left thigh.

Her little hobby was a weird one. She liked to count his scars and commit them to memory. She found them fascinating.

"They're like books" she muttered one evening when he finally asked her what the hell was up with her fascination with his scars.

"You gotta explain that to me."

She laughed as she continued to run her fingers along the thin line that ran across, and over, his bellybutton, "scars…they each hold so many stories. So many unique tales hidden in just one line. Doesn't that fascinate you? Like this one," she moved forwards slightly, pulling his arm close, "this one, how'd you get it?"

"Tenrou, when I ah…you know…"

She smiled, "see, there's a story behind it."

When he came back from his latest mission, she counted four extra scars. One joined the mass that already littered his arms. Two ran along his back, looking like tiny little lightning bolts. And the final one cut ran from the centre of his eyebrows to the top of his nose.

"How'd you get it?" she asked, easily climbing into his lap as he reclined on their sofa. She reached up and gently traced the thick line, smiling as he wriggled his nose slightly.

"Bastard got a lucky shot in," he mumbled, content in watching her gently thumb the newest addition to his body, "I wasn't paying attention and he swiped."

"Did it hurt?"

"Hell yeah," he grunted as she shifted in his lap to push herself higher, "thought I'd gone blind with the amount of blood that was in my eyes."

She hummed lightly before placing her lips against the scar.

He grinned. She always kissed the rare ones he admitted hurt.


	18. Chapter 18

**tease**

 **summary;** she was the one case he couldn't close

* * *

She stuck her tongue out slightly as she slowly descended from the ceiling, one thin piece of wire the only thing stopping her from free falling into the mess of alarm systems that undoubtedly lined the floor below.

She chuckled to herself as she went, remembering how once upon a time this has been the most difficult task for her. Now it was second nature.

"A little more," she whispered into the device attached to her collar.

"Got it"

She grinned as she felt the wire lower her down further, "thanks. That's enough."

Once the wire stopped moving, she reached behind her and placed her hand over the hook, "once I trip the alarm, I'll only have about a minute before security show up, make sure the vans ready to go. Got it?"

"Understood"

"Nice."

With barely a moments hesitation she quickly flipped the hook and detached herself from the wire. With an ease only developed after years of practicing the act, she gracefully dropped to the ground, barely making a sound.

As soon as she hit the ground, she tensed, preparing herself to be temporarily deafened by the ear piercing alarm that normally came.

"Jet. Droy. What's going on?" she asked, "not that I'm complaining, but where's the alarm?"

"It's been disarmed"

"Disarmed?"

"Get back up, now Levy. It's a tr-"

"You've kept me waiting."

She narrowed her eyes as she turned around to watch a familiar figure emerge from the shadows.

"Detective Redfox," she nodded, "how are you?"

He glared at her, "don't play with me McGarden. I've got you this time."

She smiled coyly, "but then what would you do with your days, if you can't spend all day trying to figure out ways to catch me?"

He grinned as he stepped forwards, coming so close to her that there was barely an inch between them, "why don't we find out, hm?"

They'd been doing this dance for as long as she could remember. She was the one case he just couldn't close. He was blundering detective she had a tiny soft spot for.

"Hands," he ordered, tugging a pair of handcuffs from his pockets.

Sighing, she reluctantly stuck out her hands and allowed him to slap the cold handcuffs over her wrists.

"So, what next?" she asked, staring up at him, "you haul me into a jail cell and I spend the rest of my life rotting behind bars?"

"Pretty much."

"Tch," she rolled her eyes, "for a bit of petty theft, it seems a bit extreme to me."

"Petty theft," he snorted, "more like grand larceny."

"Details, details," she muttered, "I bet you're proud of yourself, hm?"

"Fairly."

"Are you going to get a reward?"

He frowned, "I'm just doing my job."

She smiled then, and in hindsight he probably should have taken that as a warning.

"I think you deserve a reward. You've caught the most elusive thief in all of Fiore after all…"

She stepped closer, completely eliminating the small space they had between them.

"O-oi, wh-"

She stood on her tiptoes and winked at him before she pressed her lips against his. She opened her lips slightly, tracing her tongue teasingly over his lips, trying to tempt him into replying. It didn't take long before she felt his body slacken slightly as he began to respond. She smirked as she felt his arms slowly begin to rise, preparing to wrap themselves around her small frame.

"And that's your reward," she whispered as she quickly pulled away and stepped backwards.

He stood, staring at her with a dumbfounded expression on his face. She almost giggled, it was oddly endearing. If he hadn't been in the process of arresting her, she may have labelled itcute.

"Well, Detective Redfox," she said as she raised her hands in the air, "it was lovely catching up with you."

He shook his head as he slowly came back to reality, "wha-"

"But, I really have to get going," she winked again as she draped the chain of the handcuffs around the hook of the wire she had descended down, "boys, bring me up," she called.

Almost immediately the wire began to ascend quickly, "we'll meet again soon, maybe you'll get a bigger reward next time."

She laughed as she watched him finally recover from the impromptu kiss and begin hurling insults and curses her way.

"Goodbye Detective Redfox."


	19. Chapter 19

**together**

 **summary;** dragons roamed the skies, but she didn't need to worry, she had two dragons by her side (tps)

* * *

A roar louder than she'd heard for days echoed ominously across the desolate land.

"How long?" she asked, squinting as she looked up to the now permanently grey skies. A small black blip hovered just over the horizon.

"Till what? Till we get there or they get to us?"

A young man hopped down from the unstable ledge, landing almost perfectly next to her, "we've got about two hours till we reach the base."

"And them?"

"They're moving fast. They'll probably be on top of us within an hour"

She smiled grimly before clapping her hands together, "well, it's a good thing I've got you two by my side then, hm?"

"Right," Gajeel nodded sharply before extending his arm to her, "can you walk?"

She hesitated before she tried to push herself up. Her right leg howled silently in pain the second she put some pressure on it, "yup!" she lied, "I can walk just fine."

Gajeel stared at her for a few seconds before shaking his head, "Rogue, take the bags."

The young man nodded before easily catching the heavy bag Gajeel chucked at him, "mum, yours too," he added, pointedly staring at the bag around her back.

Huffing, Levy detached herself from the bag before reluctantly handing it over to her son, "I told you both I'm fine. It's just a little scratch. You both worry too much."

"Yeah, yeah," Gajeel muttered as he easily lifted her up and swivelled her around she sat comfortably on his back, "let's go."

The impossibly loud roar echoed loudly once again.

"Quickly."

Rogue nodded and within seconds they were off, darting across the barren wasteland.

Her heart ached as she watched the landscape pass them by. She could still remember when the land they ran across had been a thriving and pleasant town. She'd even visited it a few times. She remembered the way the grass had swayed gently in the mild breeze, or how Rogue had giggled in excitement as he pushed him down the slide in the children's park, or the small ice cream shop they'd stop in when the heat had become too much.

Her vision clouded as she stared at the grey, broken land they were now in. Not a soul was left from the bubbling town they had once visited. Either they were all dead or had the opportunity to flee before it was too late.

She buried her head into Gajeel's back as they passed a semi destroyed building. Smoke still languidly flowing from the wreckage. This was not a town of mages. She doubted many had enough time or warning to flee.

As they ran she found herself sending Mavis a small prayer of thanks.

The attack had sprung up on them so suddenly. They'd lost their home…their Guild…but they hadn't lost their lives.

She turned her attention to Rogue, a sad smile forming on her lips. He was so tall now. She remembered so clearly the days when she could easily lift him into the air and spin him whilst he gurgled in joy. Those days had long since passed. The wild, almost infectious, smile he seemed to permanently wear as a child was gone replaced with furrowed brows and a frown. And what else could she expect? His peaceful, happy childhood had been snatched from him almost instantly. The first attack had happened when he was 10. They had lived in fear and constant running since then.

He had grown marvellously of course. She secretly pined over the fact he looked so similar to his father - minus the wild hair and piercings. He acted like him as well. Silent and brooding, and fiercely protective.

Her smile dropped from her face suddenly as her leg began to pang with pain. She glanced up at him again. He showed no sign of injury and that worried her. If she had come out of the attack with crushed bones in her legs, how had he - her rescuer - come out unscathed.

"Gajeel?" she whispered quietly in his ear.

"Mm?" he didn't miss a step as he continued to run across the uneven ground at a speed she hadn't thought was humanly possible.

"He's in pain."

"I know. He's not going to say anything."

She nodded. He was exactly like his father. She took a deep breath before shouting, "Rogue Redfox, you tell me what's wrong with you now,"

Gajeel sniggered lightly as Rogue stopped abruptly in his tracks. Gajeel jogged over to where he stood and let Levy scramble down.

"You're hurt," she said bluntly, leaving no room for argument, staring up at him with her best stern glare.

"I'm fine," Rogue muttered. He towered over his mother and yet when she looked at him like that, he felt like he were ten years old again. He glanced up and met his fathers gaze.

Gajeel pointedly looked away.

"Where is it?" she asked, ignoring his reply.

Rogue hesitated before tugging up his shirt, "it's not that bad," he said as she gasped.

"Rogue," she breathed, eyes watering as she stared at the fairly deep gash that ran along diagonally across his chest. A dirty bandage was stuck to the inside of his shirt and she cringed as she stared at his makeshift treatment, "what have I told you?" she asked shakily and she dove into the bag he had dropped by his side.

"Don't suffer in silence."

She nodded, pulling out a thick roll of bandages from the bag, "I'm not going to lose you because you're too proud to say when you're hurt. Either of you. Understood?"

"Same goes for you," Gajeel grunted stepping up behind her to help apply the bandage to Rogue's chest, "you can't walk."

She nodded in agreement, there was no point in pretending anymore. She needed a nurse. She needed Wendy.

"How much further to the base?"

Rogue squinted into the horizon, "we've made good time. Thirty minutes?"

"And them?"

As if the creatures had been waiting for their cue, a loud roar resounded through the land. Closer this time. Much closer.

"Less than ten minutes," Gajeel sighed, "come on. If we get close enough to the base, we can signal for help."

She finished applying Rogue's bandage before Gajeel picked her up easily and placed her on his back again. Within seconds they were off again. She squeezed her arms tightly around his neck, her heart racing with every step he took. They'd never cut it so close before. She wondered if she was imagining the sounds of heavy wings flapping loudly in the background.

"Don't look back," Gajeel said suddenly before reaching up slightly and squeezing her thighs. She knew then that she wasn't imagining the heavy wings.

"Just stay focussed on him. Make sure he gets to the base," Gajeel continued.

"I know."

They'd discussed this a hundred times before. They were old. They'd lived their lives but Rogue…Rogue hadn't. She knew she would gladly die before she let her son die in front of her.

Barely a minute passed before a large shadow crept overhead, submerging them in a murky darkness. She swallowed thickly. This was it.

"Rogue!" she shrieked, "run…run to the base."

The dragon above them snarled as Gajeel ducked, narrowly missing its sharp talon.

"Now," she yelled, "we'll be right behind you."

"Bu-"

"Now," Gajeel roared, sending a powerful mini tornado of metal shards into the belly of the beast circling them menacingly.

Rogue nodded before quickening his pace and almost disappearing before her eyes. She realised belatedly, that he'd turned into a shadow. Despite the situation they found themselves in, she could have almost laughed as she remembered how dejected Gajeel had been when he found out his son wasn't going to follow his footsteps and become an iron dragonslayer. She couldn't express how happy she was now that he had found an affinity in the shadows.

"Let's go shortie," Gajeel huffed as soon as Rogue was out of sight. She nodded before diving into her pocket and pulling out her old pen. Without a word she wrote out the word IRON for him in the biggest letters she could muster up.

"Thanks," he grunted, setting her down gently before diving forwards and attacking the magic word with a fury she'd never seen before.

The dragon before them hissed menacingly. She wasn't intimidated. She'd seen bigger, stronger, scarier dragons. One of whom was standing right in front of her. Her heart swelled with an odd sort of pride as she watched Gajeel lurch forwards, fear devoid from his face as he slashed madly at the beast in front of him.

Her brows furrowed as she hurriedly wrote out words and hurled them at the dragon. STONE, IRON, METAL, GLASS, ACID, FIRE, CLAWS, ROCK…Long had passed the days where she would allow Gajeel to fight her battles for her. They were a team. She would fight by his side until she died.

She wasn't sure how long they'd been fighting before the sky seemed to shake above them. She winced as piercing roars and shrieks and moans filled the contaminated air above them.

"Gajeel!"

He backed away from the dragon and stared up at the sky, "run," he said simply as he watched five dragons begin to spiral downwards coming to join the beast they were currently fighting, "run to the base."

"Don't be stupid."

"Rogue needs his mother."

The dragons were spitting and snarling and lashing out at them as they neared the earth.

"He needs his father as well."

"Levy"

"Gajeel"

He glared at her and she glared back just as hard. She would not leave him.

"You're so stubborn," he snapped as the first dragon landed.

"I've learnt from the best," she quipped, inching closer towards him. Wordlessly she looped her fingers in between his and squeezing tightly, "thank you," she whispered as the remaining dragons hit the ground, causing it to shake.

He didn't reply, instead her pulled her into his chest roughly, pushing her head down so she wouldn't see.

"Gaj-"

Her cry was drowned out by the deafening roar of the six dragons combined. She squeezed her eyes closed tightly, expecting to feel the excruciating pain that came from a dragons roar or claws.

Instead…she felt nothing. Nothing except Gajeel's arms wrapped around her. After a few moments, she felt his grip slack slightly. Nervously, she lifted her head up.

"Rogue?"

The man stood in front of them, staring down the dragons before him, body tensed ready to strike.

"I need you both" he said loudly, still not turning around to face them.

Levy opened her mouth to yell and scream at him for not running away, but was immediately silenced by a loud laugh.

In confusion, she glanced backwards.

"Damn Gajeel," Natsu laughed as he skidded to a halt next to them, "you're getting rusty. Back in the day, six dragons would've been a piece of cake for the mighty Kurogane."

"Shut up Salamander," Gajeel snapped, "what the hell are you doing here?"

"Rescuing your asses," Natsu smirked before dashing off. A tall man with a thick head of blonde hair followed after him, only stopping briefly to smack Rogue gently on the shoulders before following Natsu into the midst of the battle.

Levy choked slightly on her tears as she watched her fellow Fairy Tail mages storm the dragons one after the other. Erza, Mirajane, Laxus, Lucy, Freed, Bixlow, Cana, Evergreen, Elfman, Juvia, Gray…they didn't stop.

"Go," she whispered suddenly, stepping away from Gajeel, "go show Natsu that the 'mighty Kurogane' still has it in him."

Gajeel smirked before nodding and dashing off into the battle. Rogue followed him without a moments hesitation.

She felt the tears she'd been holding back for days start to flow from her eyes.

Dragons roamed the skies and tormented their every waking hour, but she knew she'd always be fine, as long as she had her two dragons by her side.


	20. Chapter 20

**worry**

 **summary;** if you ever make her cry for something like that again…

* * *

"You know," Levy said quietly as she approached the tearful teen, "if you wanted to get away, you could've just come to my place."

"Not far enough," Wendy mumbled, her face still buried in her knees.

Levy sighed and sat down next to her. Wordlessly, she reached out and wrapped her arms around Wendy's slowly shaking shoulders and tugged her close.

"They're really worried about you."

"Good!"

Levy winced, "you don't mean that…"

"I know," Wendy mumbled, lifting her head up a little to show off tear stained cheeks, a snotty nose and bloodshot eyes, "I know I shouldn't have run ran so far…but…they just made me so mad!" she balled her fists up and smacked the ground, "it was either run…or send a sky dragons roar at them."

Levy chuckled, "well since Master isn't planning on redecorating the guild any time soon, maybe that was a wise decision."

Wendy's lips quirked upwards a little, "are they…are…are they mad?" she whispered, wincing a little as she voiced the question.

"Yes,"

Wendy gasped and Levy quickly shook her head.

"Not at you! Not at you," she reassured her quickly, "they're mad at themselves. And rightfully so."

"You think they were wrong as well?" Wendy asked hopefully, her eyes shining a little.

Levy nodded, "of course. Wendy, I've watched you grow into an amazing young woman in the five years you've been at Fairy Tail. You're strong, intelligent, resourceful and can send Natsu and Gajeel flying with one well aimed breath. You're a Fairy Tail Mage, and a damn good one at that. Only an idiot would try and tell you you couldn't go on a solo mission."

"Natsu and Gajeel said I couldn't."

"Like I said, only a complete idiot. Or pair of idiots," she added with a chuckle, "but they're your brothers Wendy. They're just being overprotective."

"And stupid."

"Oh, definitely stupid," Levy agreed, "but it's not going to change if every time they mess up you come running into the woods to cry."

Wendy flushed.

"You need to talk to them. To them, you're still the small girl you were five years ago. You need to walk right up to them and tell them that you're Wendy Marvell the Sky Dragonslayer and if you want to go on a solo mission then you're damn sure going to go! Let them know there's a difference between worrying over you and treating you like a child. Show them you're an adult and you don't need to be babied by them."

Wendy smiled and gently leaned into Levy's embrace, "thank you."

.

.

.

By the time they got back to the guild, night had fallen and most of the members had vacated the premises. Only a few small groups of people were left.

Natsu and Gajeel were both huddled by a table near the bar.

"Go on," Levy urged as the pair stood in the doorway, "they're not going to bite."

Wendy hesitated for just a moment before taking a deep breath and marching into the hall. Almost as soon as she stepped in, Natsu and Gajeel turned to stare at her. They watched awkwardly as she approached them, stopping just a metre or so in front.

"Wendy we-"

"Kid, I-"

She stuck up her hand to silence them, "I forgive you."

They blinked, "you…you what?"

"I forgive you. You're my brothers, you're going to be annoyingly overprotective. I get that," she smiled and briefly looked over her shoulder to where Levy was watching intently, "but, you guys need to understand, I'm a Fairy Tail Mage and if Makarov thinks I'm good enough to go on solo missions, then that should be enough for you two," she smiled brightly at her two sheepish looking brothers, "now! If you'll excuse me, I believe I have a mission to prepare for," she darted forwards and pecked both brothers quickly on the cheeks before flouncing out of the guild, waving to Levy as she went.

Levy chuckled as she approached them, "and if that wasn't enough," she said cooly, "if you ever make her cry for something like that again…" she nodded towards a corner of the room where Cana sat glaring at the boys, "Wendy won't be your only problem."


	21. Chapter 21

**late**

 **summary;** "we're the only ones who didn't get the email about class being cancelled" au

* * *

He wasn't normally the type of guy who cared about going to lectures. If he missed one, or two…or seven a semester because he had a particularly bad hangover and going to a 9am lecture would just result in him vomiting over his desk, he thought of it as more as a favour to his lecturer not to attend. If he was a few minutes - or, in one case, almost a full hour - late to a lecture, he figured "well at least I showed up!"

Which was why it was a little strange to see Gajeel Redfox, quite literally, dashing down the crowded corridors of their campus, determined to make it to his lecture on time. After several non-attendances and even more late arrivals, his lecturer had sat him down one evening and not so politely let him know that if he was late one more time, he was getting kicked off the course. A little harsh if you asked him…but, whatever.

He slid to a halt outside the doors to the lecture hall, took a second or two to recatch his breath and then burst through the doors.

"I'm not late! I'm exactly on time so you can take your crappy ultimatum and sh-" he paused as he took in the lecture hall. The completely empty lecture hall. Apart from one lone figure sitting in the front row.

She glanced up at him as he approached, a soft smile on her face. He realised that he vaguely recognised her. She was the girl who hung out with Juvia's friend Lucy. …Lena or something like that. Awkwardly, he hadn't even realised they were in the same class.

"You didn't get the email either, huh?" she asked, her voice gaining a soft lilt at the end as she chuckled a little.

"Email?"

He hadn't checked his university email since the first day of term, and that was just to find out what his timetable was.

"Professor Freed cancelled the lecture, he's ill apparently," she sighed, "Lucy just text me, wondering why I wasn't home."

Gajeel slumped across the edge of her desk and let out a very loud groan, "I ran here. Ran. Haven't even had breakfast," he grunted, his stomach taking the opportunity to let out a particularly loud rumble.

She giggled a little as she began stuffing her notebook back into her satchel, "I didn't run here, but…I haven't had breakfast either. Next time we'll both have to make sure we check our emails, hm Gajeel?"

The use of his name caught him off-guard a little. He only knew of her…and that was a very vague recognition.

"Yeah…Le…Lena?"

She laughed again. A loud laugh that sent a large ripple through her body as she threw back her head and laughed.

"I knew you didn't know my name!" despite the rudeness of the fact, she didn't seem to be too bothered.

A faint blush began to creep onto his cheeks, "uh….well…well you know we've never really spoken before…"

"I lent you my pen last week…I would ask for it back, but I've noticed you chewing it relentlessly so you can keep it!" she said brightly.

"OK, well…apart from that…"

"And I let you borrow my textbook once. Again…I would ask for it back, but I haven't seen you with it once since that day. I try not to think about what horrible life it's leading now," she chuckled.

He frowned a little. She'd apparently noticed him a lot more than he'd noticed her. The idea made him want to smile a little.

"It's Levy," she said, the same bright smile on her face, "for future references, my name is Levy."

She eased out of the row and the two began walking towards the exit.

For future references, he thought to himself, his lips twitching ever so slightly. As they got to the door, he placed a hand on it to stop her from tugging it open and turned to look down at her, a smile that mirrored her own tugging at his lips.

"I don't think I've made a good first impression," he laughed.

She shook her head and laughed, "you've made a great first impression, Gajeel."

"Eh," he shrugged, "it could be better. So…uh…let's start again. I'm Gajeel, d'you wanna go and catch a bite to eat?"

A soft blush appeared on her cheeks, and her smile seemed to turn more shy. She cleared her throat a little and looked up at him, "I'm Levy…and yes…I'd love to."


	22. Chapter 22

**privacy**

 **summary;** 'my roommate's boyfriend is staying over so can I please sleep on your floor' au

* * *

Levy liked Natsu. She really did. They had a few classes together and had struck up an easy friendship, partly helped by the fact that he was dating her best friend. She approved of Lucy's choice 100%. She really, really did. But she refused - utterly andcompletely refused - to listen to them have sex ever again.

When Natsu had first stayed the night, she hadn't realised just how thin their walls were. An hour later and Levy had pretty good idea of just how kinky her two friends were.

The second time Natsu stayed the night, Levy was prepared with headphones. They didn't help, and she couldn't get the sound of Lucy's oddly loud mewls out of mind for the next week or so.

The third time Natsu stayed the night was the final straw. After about twenty minutes of silence, she had assumed they were done making the beasts with two backs and had ventured out to the kitchen to grab a book she'd left on the counter. Watching Natsu strut around in nothing but his birthday suit with a can of whipped cream and what looked like her bowl of fresh strawberries was definitely not on the agenda.

Lucy had apologised profusely but enough was enough. She could barely look at Natsu without blushing nowadays.

The next time Natsu stayed the night, she grabbed her duvet, wished them good night and fled. If she never saw Natsu's oddly toned ass again, it would be too soon.

So that was how Levy found herself strolling through the corridors of their dorm building, with her duvet wrapped around her, looking for somewhere to stay.

Jet and Droy had both gone home for the weekend and she hadn't had the foresight to grab the spare key for their flat before she left. She considered going back to get it, but the slightest chance of seeing Natsu in his birthday suit again was enough to make her keep marching forwards. She'd knocked on Erza's door and been met with the smiling face of Jellal. Juvia wasn't home and Cana was having a small get together which Levy didn't really feel like crashing.

Her only other alternative was…Gajeel.

She frowned as she stood outside his door, wondering if he was the best choice. It was no secret to practically anyone who'd ever seen them together that there was a tiny bit of romantic tension between them. Not entirely helped by that damn 'almost kiss' they'd had in the library a few weeks ago. She still flushed as she remembered how she'd been on her tiptoes, inches away from doing what she'd been dreaming of for months…only for someone to barge loudly in causing them to leap apart from each other and never speak of it again.

Deciding that Gajeel probably wasn't the best choice, and maybe she could go grab a couch in the library and pray she wasn't caught, she began to move away…only to trip over the hem of her duvet and fall face first into his door.

"Ouch," she mumbled, rubbing her head where it had slammed into the door.

"You ok?"

In her mild bout of pain, she hadn't even noticed the door had been pulled open and the very object of her thought was standing in the doorway with a bemused smirk on his face.

"Just peachy!" she grunted, standing upright, "sorry for the noise…I fell…"

He made a "tch" sound and shook his head, "what's with the duvet?"

She blushed a little, "well ah…you see…Natsu's staying the night."

He rose a pierced eyebrow as if to say, "and?"

"And…well…I'm tired of hearing them have sex!" she spluttered so quickly, she wasn't entirely sure he'd heard what she said. Though, after he let out a roar of laughter, she figured he had heard, and he apparently found her discomfort hilarious.

"Hurry up then," he said, still laughing as he stepped back into his flat and gestured for her to follow.

"Hm?"

"You're outside at 12am with a duvet wrapped around you. I'm guessing you were looking for somewhere to stay so you don't have to hear those two idiots fu-"

"Yes! Yes please!" she squeaked quickly, diving into his flat. Her heart seemed to leap into her throat as he led her into his small bedroom. His duvet was splayed haphazardly on the bed, as if he'd just leapt out moments ago.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I woke you up," she mumbled apologetically, "I'll just sleep on the floor, you get back t-Gajeel!"

This wasn't the first time Gajeel had lifted her up with ease - he seemed to think it was funny that he could carry her like a baby - but this was the first time he'd lifted her up and dropped her carefully onto his bed.

"What?" he shot her a cocky smirk, "I don't bite."

"But…" she swallowed thickly as Gajeel jumped onto the bed, "your bed isn't that big. Won't it be uncomfortable?"

"Will it?"

"Huh?"

He turned to face her, an oddly serious look in his eyes, "is this uncomfortable? Cause I can take the floor if it is."

She hesitated for just a moment before shaking her head and whispering, "it's not."

The serious look in his eyes faded and was replaced by the smirk once again, "good. Now shut up and go to sleep. I've got a 10am tomorrow."

"It's actually a 9am," she yawned, barely reacting as she felt him shift slightly in the bed so her back was pressed up against his stomach.

"God damn," he groaned, "night Lev'"

"Whenever Natsu stays the night…do you think I could come over?" she whispered sleepily.

"Yeah, yeah."

She smiled, and for the first time thanked Natsu's pert buttcheeks for invading her home, "G'night Gajeel."


	23. Chapter 23

**wrong**

 **summary;** this was not his father (tps)

* * *

This wasn't one of his better ideas.

Even Sting had - loudly and persistently - said so, and almost all of Sting's ideas were bad ideas. But he wouldn't listen. Besides, it was easy for Sting. He remembered next to nothing about his parents, save for a mess of shockingly pink hair and "a smile that could light up the sky at midnight, I swear."

He, on the other hand, remembered more. Not a lot more, he was embarrassed to admit, but enough that when he heard the nameGajeel whispered fearfully by a few passing traders his ears pricked up and he felt an odd sense of longing tugging at his heart strings.

And so the boys set off for Phantom, with Sting mumbling all the way about how this was a stupid idea and that he was just going to mess something up. Rogue half heartedly agreed. But still he stubbornly continued on his self imposed quest. He didn't care that he wouldn't be able to approach his father and let him know just who he really was. He didn't care that he would have to adopt a false persona and pretend like the man were a stranger. He didn't care.

He just wanted to see him. See those familiar eyes crinkle up ever so slightly as a lazy smirk appeared on his face and a harsh bark of laughter fell from his lips, letting him know that everything was going to be ok. That it didn't matter that he was alone, and scared and living in a world that wasn't technically his own (yet anyway), it was still going to be ok.

.

.

Phantom Lord was scary. Nothing like the stories of guilds and camaraderie he remembered his mother telling him as she bounced him on her lap as a small child. The silence seemed almost deafening as he pushed open the guild doors and slunk nervously across the hall - Sting had refused to come with.

Suspicious and hateful eyes followed his every step, and he wanted nothing more than to turn and flee. This was nothing like he had expected. Where was the laughter? Where was the music? Where was the sense of family and safety? He knew his father hadn't always been a part of the guild his motherly fondly called Fairy Tail, but he had never assumed his prior guild had been so…so…uninviting.

Rogue continued on forwards, resisting the urge to bow his head in fear, he had to find him. He needed to see the familiar, frowning, glaring, yet still relentlessly loving face that plagued his dreams.

He heard him before he saw him. That was surprising. He thought he had forgotten his fathers voice. In his memories it was too low, too muffled, just a slightly deeper extension of his own high pitched tone. But when he heard him snap, he knew…he knew it was him.

"Get lost."

His mouth fell slack, his eyes widened, his heart soared and his hands shook. His whole body shook as he slowly approached the large mass sat huddled in a corner. He barely even noticed the sobbing redhead dashing away from him as he approached.

He was sat on a bench, eyes squeezed shut, his legs spread wide as he leant against the cold wall behind him, and it took every ounce of Rogue's self control not to leap into his lap and bury himself in his fathers chest as he had done so many times as a child.

Instead he inched closer until he was about an arms length away.

His eyes snapped open and Rogue gasped.

"What?"

He hadn't been expecting to see recognition in his eyes. Nor unconditional love. But the glare he found himself on the receiving end of nearly sent him reeling backwards. There was no warmth in his eyes. No room for love or friendship. They were cold. Harsh. Blood red.

"What, brat?" he snapped again, this time sitting forwards a little.

The familiar insult hurt. It was void of any of the good natured teasing he remembered.

"Don't make me ask again."

A warning? A threat?

Rogue swallowed, "you're…you're Gajeel…Gajeel Redfox?"

His tongue felt dry as he uttered the surname he had forgotten from long ago. The surname that he too shared with this…this…creature masquerading as his father.

The man - he refused to call him his father, this wasn't his father - leaned forwards a little, eyes narrowing, "who're you?"

Rogue froze.

"Who. Are. You?"

He belatedly noticed that the guild was silent once more and the inhabitants were all staring into their corner with baited breath.

"Ryos," the false name slipped from his tongue with ease, "I'm Ryos. I…I…I want to join."

And then the man laughed. And it wasn't the laugh from Rogue's dreams. It wasn't the laugh that was full of mirth and love and kindness and made his eyes crinkle at the corners and his shoulders shake as the sound escaped his lungs. It was high pitched and cold and empty. It made him shiver.

Who was this man, and why was he allowed to look so much like his father when he so obviously wasn't?

"We don't need anymore dead weight in this dump, brat," he snarled, "scram."

The final word came out like a roar, and Rogue was sure it shook the very foundations of the building. Fear pierced him and before he even realised it, his legs were moving. Faster than he'd run since he'd come to this faulty timeline.

He ran and he ran and he ran until the ringing from his roar finally stopped and he could hear his own frantic pants and feel the warm tears streaming down his face and feel the ache in his legs from running too fast for too long.

Sting had been right. This had been a stupid, stupid, idea.


	24. Chapter 24

**kind**

 **summary;** he's always known his parents are too kind (tps)

* * *

"Dad!"

He doesn't mean to use the word. It falls from his lips without his consent and he immediately sucks in the air around him sharply at his mistake. His only solace is knowing that the man - probably- didn't hear. That he was too busy tackling the snarling beast before them to notice the strange greeting that had erupted from Rogue's mouth.

A soft smirk tugs at Rogue's lips as he simultaneously feels his vision beginning to blur. This is all too familiar. He's greeted with memories of his twelve year old self struggling to defeat a D Class beast, his parents "hidden" nearby, ready to swoop down and rescue him if necessary.

Typical, he thinks as his vision goes black. Even in a different timeline, Gajeel is there to rescue him.

.

.

.

He is awake for approximately two minutes before he decides to open his eyes - content in using his other senses to survey the room he found himself in.

It's a small room, barely big enough for a single bed and a bedside table. The window is open and he can hear the hustle and bustle of the city that somehow survived an army of dragons below them. But he doesn't care about the city and how it is probably in ruins. He cares about the two people in the room with him. He knows who it is without even opening his eyes.

His parents.

Of course, they're not his parents yet, and they don't know that they will one day become his parents, but he doesn't care. To him, they are unequivocally his parents and he wants nothing more than to jump up and bury himself in her hair and just inhaleand drown himself in a scent he feared he would someday forget.

Instead he settles for blearily opening his eyes.

She is sitting furthest away on a small chair, brows furrowed and a look in her eyes that tells him she is far far away.

Surprisingly, he is sitting on the bed peering at him suspiciously.

Rogue is forcibly reminded of the time he had pretended to be ill to get out of going to some fancy event and his father had sat on the edge of the bed glaring until he had caved and reluctantly tugged on his suit and bowtie.

He sits up awkwardly, ignoring the dull throbbing pain in his ribs as he moves, "can I help you?" he mumbles, the forced unfamiliarity and distance in his tone driving a stake through his heart, as it always does.

"Yeah. You can," Gajeel says before glancing over to her. She is watching now, a curious glint in her eyes as she inches ever closer.

Rogue nods, unable to take his eyes off her. She's staring at him now. Wise, brown eyes staring straight into his soul. He wonders what she's doing there…not that he isn't entirely displeased, but her presence is strange. Gajeel, he could understand, but her, save for a few accidental shared glances, they had barely interacted. He forces his gaze away and turns back to Gajeel, realising his suspicious gaze had never left him.

"What is it?"

"Who are you?"

The question is uttered without hesitation, as if he's been practicing it whilst Rogue slept. The question makes his heart skip a beat. Maybe two. His throat constricts, and it takes all his self control not to croak out those two simple words he wanted to son.

Instead he defiantly raises his chin and manages a surprisingly tough, "Rogue Cheney."

Gajeel snorts, "who are you?" he asks again.

"Rogue Cheney," it's a little less defiant this time.

Gajeel opens his mouth, perhaps to ask again, but her voice beats him to it, and he knows he has lost.

"Who are you?" it doesn't sound like an accusation coming from her, more like a plea.

His breath hitches in his throat, "please….don't…"

"You called me Dad," Gajeel says and at that moment, it feels as if he has just been punched in the gut.

"You heard?"

"Damn right," he chuckles, "You got a good set of lungs on you, kid. Pretty sure half the damn city heard."

Rogue shifts, avoiding her gaze.

"So, I'll ask again," Gajeel continues, "who are you?"

And Rogue cannot lie anymore, because he knows. He knows.

He looks at his hands as he answers, "I'm yours."

"Mine?"

"Your…brat," he glances up as he utters the last word, a ghost of a smirk tugging at his lips, "I'm your brat."

Gajeel hums and then she speaks, standing up and crossing the short distance between them. She kneels on the bed and reaches forwards, before apparently thinking better of herself and snatching her hands back to fall limply in her lap.

"And…" she licks her lips, "and mine?"

At that moment he decides he'd rather be facing the dragon again.

"Yeah," he answers, nervously looking up at her, "hey mum."

She gasps and Gajeel laughs.

"Tch," Gajeel sniffs, "nobody else it could've been," he mutters, but Rogue isn't sure she hears. She's too busy staring at him, eyes watering and he knows it's not long before they fall.

"Why?" she whispers, "Why?"

And he doesn't have the heart to tell her why. Why and how he had ended up in this timeline. He doesn't have the heart to tell her that his past had been full of death and destruction. So much death. He can't bring himself to break her like that.

So he shrugs and drops his gaze. He had never prepared himself for this. Never in his wildest dreams expected things would end like this.

"Rogue."

Her voice is a command that he cannot ignore and he looks up to find them staring at him with identical looks of sadness in their eyes and he wants to laugh. He's always known this, but it hits him right then…his parents are kind. Too kind.

She reaches out again, and this time she doesn't stop herself. Her hands cup themselves around his cheek and she takes in a deep breath before whispering, "I'm sorry."

He isn't sure what she's apologising for but he doesn't care. He falls into her embrace and buries himself in her hair and inhalesand commits her scent to memory.

A large hand lands on his head and ruffles his hair slightly and for a brief moment, Rogue Redfox allows himself to be a five year old boy crawling into bed with his parents in a world where the skies are clear, not a dragon in sight.

* * *

this was a thank you gift for hayli :)


	25. Chapter 25

**reunion**

 **summary;** he'd imagined this scenario more times than he cared to admit, and yet he was still tongue-tied

* * *

He'd imagined this scenario more times than he cared to admit. Revisiting the same scene over and over again. He'd practiced his speech over and over, the words repeating in his mind so many times, he knew it by heart. There was not a doubt in Gajeel's mind that he was prepared for the day his father reappeared in his life.

Until it actually happened.

Until he sensed the the aura he hadn't felt in years.

Until he smelt the scent he'd secretly worried he had forgotten.

Until he caught a glimpse of that familiar silhouette.

Until he heard his roar.

Then it was like his world had been flipped, and for a second…he couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. He simply watched, swelling with pride as his dragon - his father - took down Face after Face, his roar turning into a cocky bellow as he raced passed Wendy's dragon.

Even after the shock of seeing their dragons had subsided and they had joined in with the destruction of the Face devices, he kept one eye trained on his father, afraid that if he blinked he would be gone again.

.

.

He approached him slowly - cautiously even - the thoroughly planned speech already long gone from his mind.

"Still shy I see"

He froze, "shy?" in an instance, all pretence of caution and carefulness was gone, "the hell do you mean shy you giant lightning rod?" he snapped, storming forwards, "you haven't shown your ugly faces in how many years and that's how you greet me?"

Metalicana chucked his head back and roared with laughter, "still got that temper as well," he snorted, sending a ripple through the air, "glad to see not much has changed…or," he stared pointedly at the celebrating guildmates dotted around them, his gaze lingering on a head of blue hair for just a fraction of a second longer than the rest, "perhaps I'm glad to see that a lot has changed."

Gajeel smirked, "yeah, you missed a lot old man."

"Tch. I didn't miss your lack of respect, brat."

He hadn't realised how much he'd missed being called a brat. Being his brat.

"I imagined a lot more swearing and kicking when we finally reunited," Metalicana mused, "has my son gone soft?"

"Don't count on it old man, I can still kick your sorry ass any day."

"Still?" the dragon chuckled, "if I recall, all your attempts to 'kick my ass' ended in you lying in a pile of mud and your own tears."

Gajeel laughed and shrugged, "you've missed a lot. I've grown."

The dragon hummed, his gaze drifting towards the head of blue hair hovering nervously nearby, "indeed. You have a lot to inform me. Tell me about the blue haired woman."

"Uh…which one?"

Metalicana smirked, meeting Levy's gaze head on, "the one who smells entirely of you."


	26. Chapter 26

**the brain and the brawn**

 **summary;** the newest captain was sure to be a thorn in her side, or so she thought

* * *

Her coat flapped behind her as she hurried through the busy corridor, clutching her scrolls and books to her chest tightly as she wound in between people muttering half hearted, "excuse me!"'s and "sorry!"'s. She was late. Very late.

It wasn't her fault really. She'd spent the better part of a week holed up in the library, trawling through scrolls, plotting maps and writing up battle plans, could she really be blamed if she lost track of time a little? Besides, someone from her team was supposed to come and get her when it was time to leave, so really, they were to blame. She conveniently ignored the rune she'd placed on the door, allowing nobody but her access into that particular section of the library.

Levy rounded a corner and slowed her pace a little in an attempt to reign her breathing in. No good would come of bursting - late - into a Captain's meeting out of breath. She'd never hear the end of it from Jet and Droy. Both of her childhood friends were ranked members of the Custody Unit, and never tired of trying to get her to come along on one of their mad training weekends. She shuddered at the thought of it. They always returned from those weekends with more bruises than she'd like to see on either man.

She ground to a halt outside the door, patted her hair down a little, smoothed out her coat, took a deep breath and pushed it open, striding inside with what she hoped was confident grace.

Several pairs of eyes landed on her as she strode into the room and found her place around the large table in the middle.

"You're late Captain McGarden."

"Sorry Chairman," she bowed her to the small man who sat at the head of the table, "I lost…track of time."

"I trust your tardiness means you've found what you were looking for?"

Levy grinned and looked up to find Chairman Makarov Dreyar smiling knowingly at her, "yes Chairman, I believe I have."

"Excellent," Makarov boomed before clapping his hands together, "you can liaise with Captain Redfox, his unit will-"

"Captain Redfox?" Levy frowned and peered around the room, the name seemed vaguely familiar but she couldn't quite place it, "I thought I'd be working with…" she paused and bowed her head a little, "former Captain Lahar's old unit."

A pained silence filled the Chairman's chambers. The death of Captain Lahar, former Head Captain of the Custody Enforcement Unit still weighed heavily on all of them.

"Ah," a soft voice spoke out, "did nobody in your team tell you, Levy?"

Levy looked up to find Captain Wendy Marvell, Head of the Medical Supply Unit, smiling at her. Levy flushed a little, deciding that perhaps it wasn't the best idea to place an impenetrable rune on her doors after all.

She shook her head, "what happened Wendy?"

"Lieutenant Gajeel Redfox was promoted to Captain of the Custody Enforcement Unit earlier this week."

Ah, Levy thought dumbly as Wendy filled her in on what had happened, so that's where I remember his name. She'd heard Jet and Droy speak of Gajeel Redfox a few times. A tall, tough man with a weird laugh who apparently didn't know the meaning of "you're going overboard." He'd quickly risen up amongst the ranks and had been promoted to the role of Lieutenant within months of joining the unit. She knew a few of the other Captain's had their eye on him, hoping they could poach him and make him join their units.

But aside from that, that was all she knew. Apart from Jet and Droy, she never really bothered with the Custody Unit. For the most part, they were loud, brutish men who dealt with things with their fists instead of their minds. Lahar had been an exception. The man was cool, calm and serious and didn't mind listening to her battle plans and ideas instead of storming ahead with the "act now, ask questions later" policy, so many of his men had apparently adopted.

She inwardly groaned as she realised this meant her days of peacefully coexisting with the Captain of the Custody Unit were over. It was time to brace herself for dealing with an overbearing idiot who would be more interested in kicking ass than information gathering.

"Captain McGarden," Makarov said suddenly, snapping her out of her increasingly negative thoughts, "this," he nodded to his right, "is Captain Gajeel Redfox, the new Head Captain"

She glanced up at the man seated a few chairs next to Makarov. He was big, with bulging muscles, long black hair and a weird grin on his face. He even wore his jacket in that weird way Captain Dreyar was so fond of.

Yup, Levy thought with a sigh, he was going to make her life very difficult. It wasn't hard to imagine him running head first into battle, without a care for her meticulously planned battle tactics.

Still…she had to stay professional. She forced a grim smile onto her face and nodded towards the man, "Captain Redfox, congratulations on your promotion. I look forward to working with you."

His grin split wider across his face, "likewise, McGarden."

She felt something twitch on her forehead, this was going to be hard.

.

.

.

She tapped her fingers impatiently on the table in front of her, glaring at the door as she willed Gajeel Redfox to storm in. Hell, she reasoned with herself, if he comes in now, he'll only be half an hour late.

After the Captain's meeting Makarov had ordered she and Gajeel meet later in the day, so she could debrief him on their joint mission and let him know what she'd found.

She'd wanted to do it then and there, but before she'd had the chance to grab Gajeel he was gone and she'd had to settle for sending a memo to him, asking him to meet him in her library later that evening.

She sighed, and tugged open the largest scroll on the table, running her hands over the detailed map she'd spent the last two days inking out. The furthest Western regions of Fiore were virtually untapped by modern human life. There were no maps to help you find your way. Unfortunately, that was where the councils latest nuisance, a dark guild called Avatar, had decided to set up base.

She'd spent the last few days trawling through her library and interviewing informants to try and piece together, what she hoped would be an accurate map of Western Fiore. It wasn't perfect, she knew, but it was a damn sight better than anything they'd had at their disposal before.

She'd managed to map out where rivers ran, where the road stopped and entered a dark cavernous forest, even where a clutch of mountain trolls liked to roam. She'd even managed to pinpoint where Avatar's headquarter were, as well as dig up some information on each of the supposed members.

She rummaged through a small satchel and dropped a stack of papers on the table. She had information on all of the known eight members of Avatar. She knew their strengths and weaknesses and had drawn up a pretty good battle plan if you asked her.

"That's a lot of writing."

She didn't even glance up as heavy feet sauntered into her library.

"You're late," she said curtly.

He flopped down onto the armchair opposite her and immediately grabbed her map, "what's this?"

Ignoring her instinct to snatch it from him, yelling something along the lines of "get your grubby paws off my map!", she finally looked up at him. His hair was pulled back with a patterned headband and he wasn't wearing his coat anymore, just a black shirt.

"Where have you been?" she asked suspiciously, "we were supposed to meet nearly 45 minutes ago."

"Party," he shrugged, "team wanted to congratulate me, I guess."

"And you couldn't reschedule? This is important Captain Redfox! We need to move in on Avatar as soon as possible, we don't have time for you to be partying. Really," she huffed, "Jet and Droy should know better. They knew I wa-"

"Jet and Droy? You know them?"

She nodded, "childhood friends."

Gajeel smirked, "they're good men. Reliable, I like them."

"I'm sure they'll be ecstatic to hear that," she said, with just a hint of pride for her two boys, "now, can we please get to the matter at hand?"

"Avatar."

"Yes, Avatar. Now," she leaned over and gently tugged the map from his hands before spreading it across the table, "now, I've worked out that their HQ is within a two mile radius of this spot right here," she whipped out a pen from her pocket and drew a small circle on the map.

"How'd you work that one out?" Gajeel frowned, "I thought nobody knew where they were?"

She couldn't help but grin, "the name Captain isn't there for decoration Redfox, I'm good at my job."

"I can tell."

She paused and blushed a little, he sounded sincere. He was staring at her documents, pierced brows furrowed as he read through them all.

"So," he said as finished reading through her documents, "what's the plan shorty?"

She blinked, "excuse…me?"

"What's the plan? I've heard good things about you," he said with a grin, "Lahar always used to brag about you, said some of your battle plans were the best he'd ever seen."

She froze. This was not what she'd been expecting at all. She'd been expecting a brute who refused to listen, who wanted to dive head in without regard to her plans of information.

"Oi, oi," he wrapped the table with his knuckles, "Captain, what's the plan?"

She couldn't help but smile as she began pulling scrolls and documents out from under the map to show him.

Perhaps this wasn't going to be so bad.


End file.
